LENTEN PROJECT 2014

With wishes for a HAPPY LENT...

Holy Father Pope Francis has given in his message for Lent 2014 a beautiful project for us to trace...

The Holy Father's message when read with an eye to grasp what he wants to impress on us, can thrust forward these three imperatives, as a project for us during these weeks of Lent.

TURN

First imperative is to turn to the Grace of God. However much we try with our own human efforts we cannot really attain the heights of a child of God. It is the work of Grace. And that is why the holy father selects the verse from the letter to the Corinthians which reminds us that the Son of God became like us to make us like him, sons and daughters of God! When we turn to Grace and surrender our lives, we are sure to make strides that would make us happy and the Lord, proud!

RETURN

The second imperative is to return, to return to the Lord no matter how far we have strayed. Some of our wrong choices, unbalanced priorities and miscalculations could have led us astray, inspite of our good will to remain with the Lord. The call is to Start Afresh! Those lines of the hymn, they always fill my heart with hope and my eyes with tears: 

Let me start again, 

pick the pieces of my brokenness, 

fill the spaces in my emptiness, 

let me start again... Let me start with you Lord!

The Holy Father quotes L. Bloy saying, 'the only real regret lies in not being a saint' and concludes - the only one real kind of poverty is not living as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ. 

RELEARN

The third and the most proactive imperative is, to relearn what it means to be a christian, what it means to live as a child of God! It is not too difficult...for our original nature is that! We have only to relearn, and how do we relearn - we learn by doing! Yes, begin with a life of Witness says the Holy Father. To create a counter culture in this world which abounds in persons who live in material, moral and spiritual destitution - that is the call, that is the Witness we are challenged to live. Let us begin today!

To turn, to return and to relearn - that is the project that the Holy Father presents to us this Lent. 

We shall keep this project in mind all these days, as the Word inspires us everyday to consciously choose a life of constant conversion and daily faithfulness. 

Wish you all a HAPPY LENT...and wonderful experience of the Grace and Mercy of the Lord!

Read the entire message of Pope Francis here: Lenten Message 2014