Lent.

Hello all!

We are now in the season of Lent.

What is Lent? It's the period of time where we prepare ourselves for our Lord's Resurrection (Easter Sunday) through prayers, fasting and alms giving. It lasts approximately 40 days.

To find out more about Lent, you can check out this Everything you ever wanted to know about Lent but were afraid to ask link.

Anyway this is the period of time that Catholics will try to sacrifice something or deny themselves some form of pleasure. We do this not because we are crazy masochists, but because by denying ourselves something we enjoy, we discipline our wills so that we are not slaves to our pleasures. We also make an effort to go for the sacrament of reconciliation (i.e. confession) more often.

Speaking about confession. something struck me the other day when I went for my confession.

It occurred to me that whenever I was about to sin, I would deliberately ignore God and His promptings (which were Always there). I denied Him in my moment of weakness. Utterly ashamed I must say.

However if you feel this way, just remember someone else also denied God. 3 times in a row in fact. I'm talking about St Peter. Just remember that he didn't wallow in self pity for having done such a deed. He went on to become the first pope and one of the greatest saints of the Church.

So If we ever feel unforgivable for having denied and failed God, just remember St Peter. You just have to stand up, dust yourself off, go for reconciliation and repent.

Have a fruitful Lent!

*By the way, Lent is the old English word for spring. Spring... a time for renewal and fresh beginnings ....

//dan