Lenten Reflection Days 1 & 2

 S recently challenged me to write a set of daily Lenten reflections - she had given me a set of beautiful Advent reflection cards last Christmas. I said I would try my best. Sorry I am a little late but here goes:

Day 1

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 

Verse 10 of Psalm 51 encapsulates Lent, which, for me, is an opportunity to regain purity and constancy. I hear the cry to come back with my whole heart, to return to a state of holiness for every day I will fall, no matter how hard I try. So every day I must seek a way home to my Father. One way is through the prescribed practices of Lent which are prayer, fasting and alms-giving:

* Prayer not only puts me in touch with my Maker but with my inner self in order to see where I should be going and what I should be doing. Prayer is my bridge to the Sacred Heart of Jesus who loves all humanity and desires unity with every single person on earth through mercy and compassion. 

* Fasting prepares my mind, my heart, my whole being for fasting allows me to master my senses in a way that helps me build spiritual muscle. Discipline is necessary if I wish to be a worthy disciple of Christ. Discipline is what will see me through my bad days, my weaknesses and my failings. Like the prodigal I can always come home to Him with a repentant heart knowing He will always forgive me. And yet, at the same time, I desire to be less of a prodigal each day, so discipline will help me get there. 

* Alms-giving reminds me of how fortunate I am and how much I have been given. Precisely because I have experienced His generosity, I am called to do the same, to share what I have been given with those who need assistance. Not just but especially during this Lenten season, I need to hear the cries of my brothers and sisters in need and reciprocate in love, give with a charitable heart to those who need financial assistance. 

Day 2

Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. 

In Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Moses lays out in no uncertain terms what will happen if we decide to choose or reject God and His ways, the difference between life or death. It is very clear that the decision to live as a Christian is no easy one. Jesus talks about self-denial and how we must be able to take up our cross daily to follow Him. 

Having been a committed Christian for the last 18 years, I sometimes wonder if I am doing all I can to be more and more like Jesus. Have I lost the zeal and fire I once had? There is no denying I have grown spiritually through the years, and have acquired many virtues to some degree. Sometimes this makes it harder to discern whether I have grown complacent, or have fallen victim to pride in my self-righteous and judgmental ways. Purifying my motivation is so very necessary. This call to lose my life for His sake to save it helps me orientate my motives and intentions, my whole being back to Jesus. 

He was and He is my all in all. Everything I have now in my life is because He desired to give me everything. While I am grateful, I also ask for the grace to always hold it all lightly in my hands, to know my pilgrim status and not get too attached to pleasures, money, people, things and ideals. 

If I place all my hope in Him, heeding His voice and holding fast to Him, maybe, just maybe, I will get to live eternal life not just with the Almighty, but together with my earthly family, my loved ones whom I would wish very much to be there wth me in Paradise. In the meantime, the love I have for my Father centres me and helps me make the right decisions in life. Taking up my cross is not as burdensome as it would seem, and losing my life can be extremely rewarding.