RETREAT BACK TO GOD!
LENTEN REFLECTION BY REV. FR. THEODORE MARTINOS
We begin a Very Spiritual Season today.
A Season that Lasts for a period of 40 days, Preparing us for the Resurrection of our Lord at Easter.
It’s a very holy season , a time where we have to turn our hearts back to God. It’s sounds easy but indeed a tough one. What actually happens in a spiritual sense is God searching for your heart.
In the First and Second Reading, Prophet Joel insists – ‘NOW, Turn your heart to God’,(Joel 2, 12-18), Not Tomorrow, Not any other time, NOW!
St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, Begs that we be reconciled and Come back to God!(2 Corinthians 5:20).
Your heart may want to turn to God but your flesh wants something else, the things of the World. This is the reason why today our flesh be marked with an ash and the Priest will say “Remember you are DUST and DUST you shall return” or he may say “Repent and Believe in Christ”.
For you to be able to return to God, the church has set three Pillars:
1. FASTING AND ABSTINENCE:
Today the Church encourages us to fast from all forms of Meat. Fasting doesn’t necessarily mean from food, it’s basically abstaining from what you Love doing most which you know are not right in the eyes of God! Those Sinful acts you engage in, Abstain from them this season. Prophet Isaiah made it clear (Isaiah 58: 4)- ““In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
5 Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the [c]heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here Iam.’
2. PRAYER:
The Church admonishes us to increase our prayer Life during this holy season, Attemd masses regularly at Least once a day , Attend Stations of the cross or do it privately and Meditatively, Receive the sacrament of reconciliation by Going for Confession(Confession holds in the Parish after 6:30am mass on Thursday and after 7:00am mass on Saturday) , Read the Bible more frequently during this period(Ensure to follow up with the Parish Bible passages for the day)
3. CHARITY/ALMSGIVING:
During this Lenten season, Give to the Poor, give something special and Tangible to the Poor and needy around your Neighborhood.
It’s a Good thing God searches for us, Pray that he may give you a new heart and a new spirit during this season.✝