My Lenten Season

  •   Thu, Mar 05 2020
  •   By Dr A Lourdusamy

March 5, 2020

Lenten season is always a period of retrospection and repentance. The faithful tend to put on the living armour of the suffering Christ and try to imitate his way of life. But what happens in reality has no semblance to the way of life be it speaking, eating or doing.

My thoughts of religion and religious life of the Faithful often go off tangent observing the world as it does.” Give unto me a pure heart, O Lord that I may be pure like you” becomes the craving of my heart but that doesn’t seem to happen. St Paul’s self-confession ‘spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’ is a heavily loaded statement that is proved again and again true.

Ostentatious religious practices expose the hypocrisy of living and confirm our human hunger for establishing ourselves a cut over others. What is it that we achieve by doing things that bring laurels to our life? Name and fame, wealth and reputation and ultimately destruction and eternal fire?

Let this Lenten season be a season of change, a change for the better for yourself and others.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis in his Lenten message has this to say:

“Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ's victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God "with all their hearts" (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).

Lent is a favourable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the word of God, which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply. I would now like to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31). Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life. It exhorts us to sincere conversion.

The Apostle Paul tells us that "the love of money is the root of all evils" (1 Tim 6:10). It is the main cause of corruption and a source of envy, strife and suspicion. Money can come to dominate us, even to the point of becoming a tyrannical idol (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 55). Instead of being an instrument at our service for doing good and showing solidarity towards others, money can chain us and the entire world to a selfish logic that leaves no room for love and hinders peace.”

What does the Church want us to do during this Lent? As echoed in the words of Pope Francis it calls for conversion, to return to God, to sanctify the self through fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

Let us make this lent a period of grace towards our Saviour.

 
By Dr A Lourdusamy
Dr A Lourdusamy is academic advisor at Milagres College.
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Comment on this article

  • Joe Gonsalves, Mangalore

    Sat, Mar 07 2020

    A very good Lenten Message from Dr A Lourdusamy. Yes this is a season for penance, fasting and exhibiting our Love for God and our neighbor.

    Thank Dr. Lourduswamy for the gentle reminder.

  • Dan M, Dubai / Mangalore

    Thu, Mar 05 2020

    Jesus on Lent

    Message to John Leary

    Wednesday, February 19, 2020:
    Jesus said: “My people, in the first reading from St. James, he is telling you to not only listen to My Word, but you also need to be a doer of good deeds. He even speaks of you looking in a mirror to examine who you are, and what needs to be corrected in your lives. You remember when I spoke of the lukewarm souls who shouted ‘Lord, Lord’ to enter into heaven, but I told them ‘I do not know you’ and they were cast out. If you want to be one of My disciples to enter heaven, then you need to be a doer of the faith in loving Me and loving your neighbor in your actions. Go beyond listening, and act out your faith. In the vision of Me knocking on the door of your heart to enter, it is you, My faithful, who need to open the door of your heart to Me from the inside. Without giving Me your free will choice to open the door to your heart, you will not be able show your love for Me. It is this willingness to be with Me in love that I can see the intention in your heart to love Me. Continue to remain with Me always, even if you need to confess your sins in Confession when you fall away from Me at times. I am always willing to forgive a repentant sinner. You are about to enter Lent next week on Ash Wednesday, so now is a good time to look at your soul in the mirror to see where your spiritual life needs to be improved and perfected in My love and My graces.”

  • Calida, Mangalore

    Thu, Mar 05 2020

    Sir your writing is always an inspiration and a blessing. So blessed to have been your student . I pray the Lord takes you to greater heights and gives you success.

  • Lavina Pinto, Mangalore

    Thu, Mar 05 2020

    Very informative during this Lenten season. Wishing you all graceful Lenten season. God bless us all.


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