The Season of Lent

It was only recently, around a few years ago, that I have joined the Catholic community. It became pretty clear to me as I grew older and began to truly venture into my relationship with God that the traditions practiced in the Catholic churches are somewhat different from what I had been used to practicing in my previous charismatic church.

As my walk with God continued on, I decided I wanted to practice these traditions with my whole heart and not just because I was taught to do so. I began to ask those around me questions on such traditions as 'Ash Wednesday', 'Lent', 'Holy Thursday' and so on. Initially, I did vaguely know the reasons for these traditions but I did not truly understand them.

This year I decided to carry out my resolution of attending the masses/services that are usually held for these Catholic traditions. As we all know Ash Wednesday had just passed. And if some of you are still unsure on what that really is, a further explanation of this Christian tradition is to come later on in this post. A few friends and I attended Ash Wednesday mass a few days ago. The church was packed with people so we sat outside on the pavement, still managing to catch most of the Archbishop's sermon. As we sat there, I turned over to a friend on my left and I asked him this, "What is Ash Wednesday?" He paused for a moment and then laughed. And he had every right to find my question odd. I suppose it is rather peculiar for a Christian to attend Ash Wednesday mass and not know what it really is. But I suppose most of us do not really understand the real meaning of these Christian traditions. Most of us just attend mass with our families, go up to receive whatever it is we have to receive and then we leave; some what like an obligation to God and our family. And proving my theory correct, a friend of mine did admit that she doesn't really know why we go to mass on Ash Wednesday other than to receive the ash on our foreheads. Ash Wednesday is celebrated to remind us that we are made of dirt. With God's hands alone, we were sculpted from dirt into such complex human life-forms, every one special in their own way. With such a deep love for us God made us all special and in every one of us, He left a little bit of himself behind. I've often had this thought cross my mind, and to be perfectly honest, I sometimes still do. I do feel less significant at times. I envied those who were sculpted so perfectly from head to toe. I envied those who got so much attention for their beauty. I was insecure. And I suppose I still am at times. But I remind myself of this every time I feel less than who I really am: God sculpted us with His own two hands. With a heart full of love, He put the extra effort into making us all look different in our own way. I mean, think about it. He could've made us all look to same. That would've made His job a lot easier. Heck, He could've even gotten someone else to do it for Him, one of His angels perhaps but, no. He didn't. He chose to give His all for you. He chose to leave a part of Himself and His love in you. Because He loves you. So much. Sure, not all of us were made perfect physically. Maybe we have all been a little too shallow? Maybe we have all been too busy judging from the outside, that we didn't give ourselves a chance to see true beauty radiate from the inside of us. God made us all beautiful. Believe it. The real issue here is whether or not we choose to stay beautiful, or to scar ourselves with sin. Beauty in the dictionary is defined as a physical significance. Beauty to God is defined as a significant heart. God is the definition of beauty itself. So, grow in Him. Live by Him. Be an image of Him, that His love may shine through you.. and touch the lives of others. Sow that beautiful heart that He has given you for every heart bears it's distinct significance. We are all beautiful in God’s eyes whether you be short, tall, round, thin or square for that matter. Every single one of us is special. And I mean physically. Believe it. ‘Cos God made you beautiful and there is only one person, one thing that keeps you from believing that. Guess who’s the one that whispers in your ear words that tell you you’re not beautiful, that you’re nothing special. You’ve got it, it’s the evil one himself. So don’t give in to thoughts that bring you down. Do not be anything less than the person that you know you are for no one can make you feel inferior if you do not grant them the permission to.

Besides that, Ash Wednesday also signifies the beginning of lent. When the subject of lent came about, I found myself stumped and went on a rampage, text messaging anyone I could find in my phonebook, to ask them all one simple question: "What is lent?" I came to find that no one could really answer me in a way that I could really understand and that all the others that I had asked could not answer me at all except for a friend of mine who had carefully explained everything to me. (this is exactly what I was talking about when I said that we do not truly understand what we practice as Catholics)

According to him, lent is a 40-day period when we observe penance and abstinence to remind ourselves of Jesus' suffering before His death on the cross. Lent is basically a preparation for Easter, when Jesus is raised from the dead to save us. During this season of lent which lasts for over a period of 4 weeks, we fast and abstain from the things that we desire most. i.e. meat, chocolate, junk food, internet ;p and so on.
I continued on to ask him about the reason for our fasting during lent. In general, we are sinners and to be forgiven of our sins, we need to reconcile with God. And to reconcile with God we must first be pure both in soul and physically, thus by fasting we achieve our aim towards self-purification. (Not to be a credit hog but these are all in his own words)

It seems that during lent, you hear of people abstaining from things such as meat as it is often used as a guideline, in church, as to what we should abstain from. Most people take it as an obligation or simply as a church practice which most times makes it easier to give into the temptation of making unnecessary exceptions during occasions whereby you do not feel the want to fast.

The way I see it, by fasting we test our limits; how far we are willing to go for the Lord. Ask yourself this, how far would you push your limits for God? Would you do just about anything for Him as He would for you?

By fasting we also test our strength, to keep strong and not give into temptation, rather choose the path of God. The willingness to give up your utmost desires for the sake of our Lord; THAT is true love. It's interesting how God reveals so much to us through the most ambiguous things. He teaches us many things but in a way He allows us to learn them for ourselves.

So don’t fast because you are told to do so. Don’t walk down that aisle and get that ash wiped across your forehead just because it’s what you’re supposed to do on Ash Wednesday. Do not do what you do for God out of an obligation or because that’s what everyone else is doing or just because that’s what you are told to do. No. Do it for Him and no one else! Go all out, fellow children of the Lord and don’t turn back. All the best, my faithful readers. May we continue to grow with God and in God, together.

God bless you all.