And so this is Lent

Lent actually came from an old English term which means spring. In cold parts of the world like the UK, spring is what we look forward to. The past few months have been really rough and tough due to the cold snap that hit the country. I used to love snow and, probably because I never experienced it as a kid in a tropical country, I thought of it as something really wonderful to behold. Now I have nursed a grudge against it for many good reasons. For one, you could hardly drive! If you could, you have to be very cautious lest you skid which almost happened to me when I was driving mad to bring Chiara to the doctor.

Fr Pompeyo de Mesa, OP once told us in our German class that snow could be beautiful to see, but when it melts it becomes grimy. Very true, Father!

Sometimes we often ask why bad or ugly things happen. And some would give a sage-like explanation: “Everything happens for a reason”. Still some would counsel that the reason why these occur is for us to look, strive, and hope for the beautiful.

When I attended the Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral yesterday, Bishop Malcolm McMahon told the congregation that Lent is not a season of sorrow, but that of joy. He explained that the sacrifices and penance we perform this season would lead us to great feast of Easter.

Indeed Lent could be a period of taking a hard look at ourselves which includes our dark side – our failures, our pains, our faults. It can be unpleasant to unearth all these, but if we are full of hope then we should see this as a process for our betterment, a process of getting closer to Jesus our Risen Lord.

This Lent, let’s try to be in the (deciduous) tree’s shoes. In autumn, it lost all its verdant leaves (NB: Coniferous trees like pine trees don’t lose their leaves at all!). It later endured the cold of winter. At that point it seemed lifeless and therefore useless. But when spring came, buds start to appear. Later those buds become flowers. Leaves also begin to be visible. Then birds start to perch on its branches. (Additionally, the day becomes longer which means that the clock will move forward on 28th March!)

In spite of the changes in the season, the tree continues to rely on the faithfulness and graciousness of its creator. Hence it is able to exude life.

Seasons – global and liturgical – have come and go. Have these changed us for the better?

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The web is getting ready for its Holy Week Special - The Seven Last Words. This year we've invited 7 priests to give us a reflection on these holy words of Our Lord as He was dying on the cross. Please keep us in your prayers for the success of this event. We're still looking for at least 1 more priest to complete the lineup. If you know someone, please let me know.

Speaking of 'vacancies' the web is also in need of additional news writers, researchers, layout artists, and illustrators. Are you one of these? Let this Lent be an opportunity for you to use your God-give skills for His glory through the web.

Remember, this isn't just my web. Nor is it just Anluwage's web. It's OUR web!