LENTEN APPETIZER: A CALL TO PENANCE

As we are about to begin the Lenten journey, let us have this appertizer for our mind and heart: This is the time in which we are called by God to penance and reconciliation with Him. We are invited to prepare ourselves to get into a very deep contemplation, as  Pope Benedict XVI in his Lenten message says:  "we are invited to contemplate the Mystery of the Cross" which is according to the Pope, "meant to reproduce within us 'the pattern of his (Christ's) death' (Ph 3: 10), so as to effect a deep conversion in our lives; that we may be transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit".

Somebody told a story that; once upon a time, one cook decided to carry out an experiment of cooking an egg and a carrot. We know well that carrot is hard and egg is liquid before they can be cooked. This man did put them both in the same pot. Understand that the two are going  go under the same temperature. Then the two were cooked and after some time, were taken out of the pot. The cook found that an egg has turned hard whereas the carrot soft.

By the way, we are invited to enter the Lenten time sinful as we are, and pass under a very hot temperature, the temperature that does not destroy or make hard but the temperature that softens, the temperature that restores our human dignity lost in sin. By the temperature, we refer in this case to the Word of God which purifies one from sin. The Word of God does not harden our hearts but it has power to soften them. With our entering into contemplation of the Mystery of the Cross in the Word of God, we shall be converted to God and be purified of our hearts in order to live as children of God. Therefore, the fruits of our contemplation have to be realized in almsgiving, frequenting the sacrament of reconciliation, and all other good deeds in our lives.

Have yourselves a good Lenten journey

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU