Preparation for Lent - Be a New Creation
We start Lent on Ash Wednesday by receiving ashes and end it on Easter Sunday gloriously. During the lent we naturally add some prayers our daily / weekly prayer schedule including way of the cross, holy hour etc. We do some charitable work, alms giving etc. All these things are very good and we should do this more and more. But why are we doing this? As a tradition?
Lent is a period of cleansing,Spring Cleaning of ourselves. Ashes are what are left over after something is burned. They are commonly associated with the residue of destruction and death. Something has to die when we receive ashes. It should be any of the barriers which prevent us to get close to Jesus. It may be our desires, money, and harmful relationship with any person or any event, habit or any other thing. When it dies it gives nourishment to our new life. Same thing happens in a forest fire. When the fire has burned away the litter, ashes serve as a sort of mulch which protects and actually nourishes the new seedlings.
Now the best part comes. With all these nourishment we have to prepare for the new life and renew our baptismal promises on Holy Saturday.
In simple lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each communities and every believer. It is a time of grace that we can change ourselves in several ways.
Be a New Creation.
Lent is a period of cleansing,Spring Cleaning of ourselves. Ashes are what are left over after something is burned. They are commonly associated with the residue of destruction and death. Something has to die when we receive ashes. It should be any of the barriers which prevent us to get close to Jesus. It may be our desires, money, and harmful relationship with any person or any event, habit or any other thing. When it dies it gives nourishment to our new life. Same thing happens in a forest fire. When the fire has burned away the litter, ashes serve as a sort of mulch which protects and actually nourishes the new seedlings.
Now the best part comes. With all these nourishment we have to prepare for the new life and renew our baptismal promises on Holy Saturday.
In simple lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each communities and every believer. It is a time of grace that we can change ourselves in several ways.
- By burning out sinful actions and let that ash to be used as energy – True Repentance
- Improve daily quite time with God
- Caring and Sharing with less privilege materially and spiritually.
Be a New Creation.