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INSPIRATIONS



Lent is a period for us to reflect on our lives and relationships with God. It is a time of sacrifice and repentance. Let us reflect on the words of the prophet Joel as he makes a Call to Repentance.

In Joel Chapter 6 verses 12-13 we read, “But even now’ says the Lord, ‘repent sincerely and return to me with fasting and weeping and mourning. Let your broken heart show your sorrow – tearing your garments is not enough. Come back to the Lord, your God. He is kind and full of mercy. He is patient and keeps His promise. He is always ready to forgive and not punish”. This is the word of the Lord.

In our repentance, we reflect on our past transgressions and the many times we have deserted the Lord for earthly pleasures and worldly goods. Yet, we know that the Lord loves us more than anything else and HIS love leads HIM to forgive us, no matter what we have done. It is this belief in HIS love that strengthens us when we come to HIM to plead for healing, for forgiveness, for courage and strength. It is this love that HE pours on us when we seek to be healed.

When I look back at my life, I can see how the rites and traditions of the Catholic Church gave me an opportunity to reflect on my thoughts, words and deeds. Lent is one such opportunity. But too often, I have observed the ritual year in and out. It is like being caught in a circle. I go from Lent to Christmas and back to Lent, every year without changing. It is this that the prophet Joel is asking us to reflect on. We get caught up in the ritual. But what if I use this opportunity of Lent each year to change? To my mind, this is like a spiral. In a spiral, you are using the same traditions of Lent and Christmas but always going up or going outwards – we are using each successive Lent to be better people. We repent of our past but are better equipped to face the future – we are no longer caught in the circle. But think of the number of years I have wasted in the past – when I did not think this way.

Other thoughts that come to me on repentance is that too often I focus on sins of commission but very rarely do I focus on sins of omission. Has there been an opportunity for me to open a door to a lost soul and I have not? Has there been a call for me to use my talents and I have denied it? Have there been occasions when I have not been proactive or where I have procrastinated? All of these are sins of omission but rarely do I repent for these sins – very rarely do I see them as not fulfilling my Christian duty. In fact, I can often manufacture very good reasons that seem to explain away what I have done. So this Lent is a good time to focus on things I should have done and repent for not doing them. And to get out of the circle, I must then make a concrete effort to do something about it not just for Lent – but also for always from now on. I have started to work on my spiral. May the Lord give me the strength to continue on this path, not only for Lent but for my lifetime.