Author: Editor, Kingdom Revelator

Editorial 

February 2015 – Editorial

is nearly a year since we began publishing Kingdom Revelator and we hope that you are still finding it helpful in developing your spiritual life. We would like to thank the young people who have sent us their inspiring testimonies of how God has helped them through many varied and difficult situations. By sharing these, we hope that other young people in similar situations will be encouraged to pray and trust more fully in God’s saving help.

We receive many contributions and each one is considered for publication by an editorial team as to whether it is suitable and helpful to our teenage readers and conforms to the Teaching of the Catholic faith. Our circulation is growing, with 10,000 copies being printed each month and these are distributed in the UK, USA, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Please join us in praying that many more schools will want to distribute the magazine to their pupils.

This month we are in the middle of Lent and so we include an article about the wonderful Easter Liturgies in the Church. We also have an interesting piece by Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil on Guardian Angels, an inspiring testimony of how one of our young readers was healed at Lourdes, as well as Bible stories, articles and reflections. We hope that you enjoy the new puzzle page that is included and we would welcome your feedback on this or any other aspect of the magazine. If you are a young person and have some suggestions for improvement please e-mail us at: kfkmag@gmail.com.

If you have missed previous issues of Kingdom Revelator they can be downloaded from www.sehion.net/home/magazine. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook page: Kingdom Revelator.

Saints 

SAINT STEPHEN

CHOSEN AS A DEACON

St Stephen was the first martyr and his story is told in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles. Nothing is known of his early life but he is first mentioned in Acts 6:5 where he is called “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit”. Earlier it describes how after Pentecost the Christian community had grown around the disciples and everyone lived and prayed together and shared their possessions. But as the community grew the Apostles found that they were spending all their time looking after the administration of the community and could not find time to pray or evangelise. They decided to select seven men who were “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” for the task of organising the believers and ensuring that everyone was fairly treated. These were the first deacons and Stephen was one of the seven chosen.

MIRACLE WORKER AND PREACHER

Stephen “full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people,” (Acts 6:8) and he was obviously a very good speaker as when some Jews started to argue with him, “they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.” (Acts 6:10) Many of the Jews were opposed to the new religion of the Apostles. They rejected Jesus as their promised Messiah and wanted to stop anyone from spreading the message. Stephen’s preaching was very effective so they stirred up the people against him and twisted his words so that they appeared to threaten the Jewish religion. Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin (the Council of Jewish leaders who had previously tried Jesus) for trial. and led the tribe of Israel from the time of Abraham to the time of Moses and beyond. He describes how time and time again, God had done wonderful things for his people but they kept turning their backs on him and ignoring the prophets. He calls them ‘stiffnecked people’ who were just like their forefathers resisting the Holy Spirit. He says that just as the Jews murdered the prophets, those people who had predicted the birth of the Messiah, this generation has now killed the Holy One of God who was sent to redeem them.

STONED TO DEATH

The Sanhedrin were furious with Stephen for saying such things and this was made worse when Stephen was reported as looking up to heaven and saying, ”Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55) This was the last straw for the Sanhedrin and Stephen was dragged out of the city and stoned to death. At the very end just before he died Stephen said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” and forgave his killers.

A MODEL OF HOLINESS

St Stephen is a model of holiness and courage, he faced opposition and stood firm. As a deacon he had the opportunity to serve his local Christian community and to evangelise. He helps us to remember that we should stand firm and be courageous because God is with us and will give us courage and the words that we need when our faith is challenged.

St Stephen is the Patron Saint of deacons, headaches, horses, coffin makers, and masons. His feast day is on 26th December.

Be Creative 

Jesus

Jesus, our king, is the right way for us, We must live our life in the way he does. Jesus died to save us from sin, Come into church and join him.

Pray to Jesus, when you’re not strong, He’ll be your friend; he’ll help you carry on, For we cannot live without Jesus to lean on.

Jesus heals the cripple, the sick and the lame, If we make the same sacrifice, we can do the same, Jesus will help our faults and weaknesses to mend, We must treat him like our best friend.

Pray to Jesus, when you’re not strong, He’ll be your friend; he’ll help you carry on, For we cannot live without Jesus to lean on.

Jesus is our servant king, He is our brother, to whom we cling, Jesus is our brother, whom we always refer back to, We can live good lives but we need him too.

Pray to Jesus, when you’re not strong, He’ll be your friend; he’ll help you carry on, For we cannot live without Jesus, to lean on.

 

By Alice Braithwaite (student at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College, Year 8)

Faith 

Snapshot: Punjab- A lesson in Faith

MY FAITH

Before I went on the mission to the Punjab, I thought that my faith was fairly strong, like many of us here in the UK, I went to Mass regularly and sometimes attended retreats. I had heard amazing testimonies and I’d witnessed miracles. Yet, I felt that there was still something missing. I wondered why I still struggled to believe sometimes, even though I had seen and experienced miracles. Why was it that when I had a problem, I went to God as a formality, not really expecting Him to do anything. I think the answer to these questions lies in the nature of my faith at the time.

HE ALONE COULD HELP THEM

By the grace of God, during the summer holidays, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with a team to Punjab in India. I was very surprised to find that in Punjab, the vast majority of the people who came to church were actually Hindus and Sikhs. They were largely very poor and uneducated. So I began to ask myself why did these seemingly, traditional village people leave their customs and their temples to come and pray to the Lord Jesus Christ. The answer was simple, it’s because they were sure that He would solve their problems. They knew that He alone could help them.

THEY TRUSTED IN CHRIST

Just think about how much trouble and problems would be caused in your family, if you left the family religion. In India their religion is very important to them within the wider life of the community and there would be great social ramifications. By going to church, these Hindus and Sikhs were putting a lot on the line. But they really trusted in Christ, they fully depended on Him to solve their problems. They didn’t have a plan B when it came to God. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19.24) Now, I understand what Jesus meant. In the UK we have our education and our knowledge and we rely on our wealth and our connections to get us out of trouble, then if necessary we go to God, as a last resort or simply as a formality.

FAITH LEADS TO LOVE

I always thought that what I needed was more faith; it was always about quantity. I went to Punjab hoping that when I saw the Lord performing miracles, this would give me more faith. But now I have come to understand that it is not the size of my faith that matters but the nature of my faith. Seeing miracles and believing is one thing, but there is something greater. This is the faith that is rooted in complete dependency on God. True faith is believing in God because there is no one else, nothing else in the world to put your hope in. When we genuinely depend on someone for something, we have to hope in them and have faith in them. From this faith and hope develops love for that person. It is like a baby developing love for its mother because it is fully dependent on her.

HUMILITY IS THE KEY

I realised in Punjab that a lot of their faith and trust came from their humility. This humility is knowing and accepting the truth that everything they have is simply a blessing. And I found this amazing. Why? Well, I’ll give you an example: we visited a poor home in a village in Punjab. It was their custom to serve visitors a cool drink as soon as they sat down. Now, normally, when guests come to your home your mum brings out the best glasses or cups for the visitors but we were served our drinks in plastic cups (the type you find in water fountains at school). I then remembered all the times that my friends and I had sat around mindlessly picking apart these plastic cups after a drink at school. Now all of sudden, this plastic cup meant a lot. I held it with care so as not to crush it, or bend it, because I knew that this family had just given me the best they had to offer. They had given it with love and as we were leaving I saw the plastic cups being washed up to be used again.

CHILDLIKE FAITH

These wonderful people knew that all they have is a blessing from God. So now I pray for that type of faith. A faith like that of a little child who runs to their parent with every small problem, never doubting that the parent can help them. Remember those days when you thought your dad knew everything in the whole world! Well, your Father in heaven really does! So ask Him, anything you want, and everything you need, just ask Him.

 

Written by Neethu Sebastian

Vocation 

WHO ARE YOU CALLED TO BE?

“For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

 

Back in October 2014, I set out from St Mary’s College, Oscott in Birmingham early one Saturday morning with two seminarians (students for the diocesan priesthood) to attend the Second Saturday Convention in West Bromwich. This was our very first visit to the Convention, and the first thing that struck me was the sheer number of cars and coaches that were in attendance. I was then immediately impressed by the powerful atmosphere of reverence and prayer that there was before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It was a delight to join so many of my brother priests and deacons for the celebration of Holy Mass. It was also a joy to see so many recognisable faces in the congregation! Three of these faces were of young men who I know are actively exploring their own vocation with the possibility of becoming priests.

One my roles is to serve as the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Birmingham; and looking out at so many young men and women, boys and girls, I could not help but think that the Lord must be calling some of these young men and women, some of YOU! to serve Him in the Church as priests, deacons and consecrated people.

Knowing what a large number of young people will be reading this magazine, and knowing the depth of your own faith, and your openness to give your lives generously and lovingly in service of others, I would like to encourage you to look very deep into your own hearts and to ask yourself a very important question: What kind of a person do you think God is calling you to be? What kind of a person do you, deep-down, long and yearn to be? This is the question that Pope Benedict XVI asked young people to consider when he visited the United Kingdom a few years ago.

‘Who are we called to be?’ This is the most important question you will ever ask yourselves in your lives. It is, therefore, so important not only that you ask this question, but that you also seek the advice of good and wise people to help you ask and answer this question properly. Listening to the voice of the Lord and answering this question is what we mean by ‘discernment’. When you read the New Testament, you will know that when the Lord calls people to follow him, the first response is sometimes to be disturbed or afraid, just like Our Lady or Saint Peter. But it also shows that when we are honest with ourselves and trust in the Lord, we will find a pathway through life that will lead us to a wonderful freedom, happiness, and joy. So, if you are worried or anxious or fearful of what being a priest or a religious in the Church could mean for you, please don’t ignore these questions but share them with a trusted priest or layperson and see whether this great adventure of vocation and faith will lead you in ways that you perhaps did not expect!

Some great websites to look up that may help you a little bit are as follows: www.vocations.org.uk www.invocation.org.uk

I hope I shall see some of you again at future Second Saturday Conventions. In the meantime, may God bless you all!

 

Written by Fr Paul Moss

Bible Story 

David and Goliath

Who was David?

David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse, who lived in Bethlehem. He was a strong, happy and good-natured boy. When David was young, he helped his father look after their sheep and goats in the field and from an early age, he was able to develop his courage and fighting skills by defending the flock from the wild animals, who roamed the area looking for food. As well as being a brave shepherd boy, David also played beautiful music on the harp and wrote and sang songs about God’s goodness.

The story of David and Goliath

The story of David and Goliath was set during the time when the Israelites were at war with their old enemy, the Philistines. The Philistine army had gathered for war against Israel and on their side was a giant named Goliath, who was three metres tall, gigantic in size, and fully armed. Each day Goliath would shout out to the Israelites, “Choose a man, and if he is able to fight against me and kill me, then we will be your servants.  But if I kill him, then you shall serve us.” Since the Israelites and even their King, Saul, trembled at the voice of Goliath, no one ever came forward to fight this giant Philistine. Then, one day, David came to the Israelites’ camp to bring food for his brothers and he heard Goliath’s words. David was very surprised that everyone seemed to be so scared of the giant, and so, he volunteered to fight Goliath. David was only a young teenager at the time but he believed that God, who had already saved him from the claws of lions and bears, would help him. He confronted Goliath, wearing a simple tunic and carrying his shepherd’s staff, a sling and a pouch of stones. As Goliath moved in to attack him, David slipped one of the stones into his sling, and flung it so skilfully that it hit Goliath on the forehead. The giant fell down and using Goliath’s own sword, David cut off his head. This is how the Israelites won the battle, all thanks to David knowing that with God’s strength, nothing is impossible.

What does this story teach us?

The complete faith that David had in God made him look at the giant in a way that none of the other Israelites could. David saw Goliath as just a mere person who stood no chance against an all-powerful, immortal God. This teaches us that instead of worrying about how difficult or terrible the situations in our lives might be, we should concentrate on the fact that we have a God who is greater than all the problems that we could ever encounter. Our Heavenly Father has authority over anything and everything so pray and trust in God. Our worries and anxieties are the size of a mustard seed, compared to the infinite power and love of God.

The story of David and Goliath can be found in 1 Samuel 17. Other stories about David life and exploits can be found in later chapters of the Books of Samuel.

Christian Living 

PARENTS

HONOUR YOUR PARENTS

I have a teenage friend, Catherine, who is 16 years old and she was telling me that she was not getting on well with her parents and she couldn’t cope with them. She said that she found it hard to accept anything that her parents said to her and of course they were very unhappy and frustrated with her behaviour. In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise. So that it may be well with you and you may live long on earth.” Again, Exodus 20:12 says, “Honour your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

ENTRUSTED TO OUR PARENTS

Even though the giver of life is God, our heavenly Father, he entrusted us to our earthly parents to be born, nurtured and raised. We often forget the way our mother suffered when she carried us in her womb and gave birth to us. God has appointed our parents to give us the gift of faith and to teach us the Lord’s commandments. “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) But the Lord has also given instructions to our parents, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) There are spiritual blessings that we can receive when we are obedient to our parents:

1. We will be safe in our lives. Sirach 3:1 “Listen to me your father O children, act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.”

2. We lay up treasure in heaven. (Sirach 3:4-5)

3. Our sins will melt away. (Sirach 3:3)

4. We get long life on earth. (Ephesians 6:1-3)

5. We make God happy. (Colossians 3:20)

Remember that the devil knows all about the blessings that come from being obedient to our parents, so he tricks us into being disobedient. In Ephesians 2:1-2 St. Paul says “You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.”

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH OUR PARENTS

In the Book of Judges, chapters 13 – 16, we read about the birth of Samson. An angel spoke to Samson’s parents about his birth and how he would deliver Israel from the Philistines. The angel did not speak directly to Samson at all but delivered his message through Samson’s parents. Our relationship with our parents is close to the divine relationship that we have with God, and often the divine decisions regarding us as children of God are conveyed through our parents. The younger generations are blessed through their parents. In the Bible we see how Jacob blesses his twelve children by foreseeing God’s plan for each one of them. We can see the story of the fight between Jacob and Esau to get the blessing from their father by trying to please him the most. Many blessings will flow freely on those children who obey their Godly parents.

BONDED BY LOVE

A few years ago there was an accident in Calcutta. In the middle of a river, a boat sank in a storm. Some people who could swim were saved but unfortunately many died. The lifeguard started bringing the dead bodies to the shore and amongst the chaos, one scene really struck him. A woman was found clutching her child close to her chest. Even as she was dying she did not let go of her baby. Parents and children are bonded together not only by blood but also by a divine loving relationship which is similar to that of God and his beloved people.

PRAY FOR PARENTS

Some of our parents face big challenges. It might be through unemployment, money worries, overworking, alcohol or other addictions and we should not be angry or annoyed but we should pray for them, because God wants to make our parents holy through us. Jesus said, “For their sake I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:19) Parents should not be strangers in our lives. Instead they should be our best friends. They are the only people, beside God, who know us for who we really are. We can put on masks to hide behind with other people and have many friends, but in reality, they do not know the real person, who is me. God has given us parents, not to moan at us but to guide and strengthen us when we feel lonely or weak. Loving our parents is never a waste of time instead it is an opportunity to receive more grace from heaven.

A WAY TO EVANGELISE

So let us pray that our families become more like the Holy Family of Nazareth and inspire and touch the broken families around us. This is one way of evangelising and spreading God’s love. Pope Francis has said that evangelisation begins at home, and it is true; a family that prays together stays together.

 

Written by Soji Bijo

Christian Living 

PERSECUTED FOR THE TRUTH

WHAT IS PERSECUTION?

Persecution generally means suffering oppression, hostility and ill-treatment, because of your race or political or religious beliefs. It can mean suffering harassment, isolation, imprisonment or even death. Christianity has a long history of persecution right from the very beginning. St. Paul started his life as a great persecutor of the early Church, but later he became one of those most persecuted for the Faith. It is difficult to know exactly, but it has been estimated that since the beginning of the Church, over seventy million believers have been killed for their faith. Forty five million of them were in the 20th century according to a recently published book. In modern times, with the rise of fundamentalism and religious terrorism, some 200 million Christians live in dangerous situations and are vulnerable to persecution, mostly in Iraq, the Middle East and Asia. However, history has proved that the greater the persecution, the stronger the Church becomes.

SUFFER FOR DOING GOOD

The Bible refers to persecution in several places. Jesus knew beforehand that His followers would face persecution after His death so He wanted to assure them that their suffering would not be in vain. In the Sermon on the Mount, He said “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10) This is saying that when you suffer for doing the right thing you will be rewarded. 1 Peter 2:20 says “How is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” This suffering for doing right could be because we profess Jesus as the only Savior of the world or when we stand up for the truth. It may be because ours is the voice for justice, or we stand up for the poor and the downtrodden who can’t speak for themselves. Such an uncompromising stand on our part will inevitably invite a reaction from those who are powerful or who have vested interests but if we run away from the face of threats, our cowardice will gain us nothing.

SHARE CHRIST’S SUFFERING

Peter 2:21 tells us, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” This means when you are called to represent Jesus, suffering will be an integral part of it. If we try to imitate Him and want to share in His glory, we should be prepared to share the suffering and humiliation that He underwent. Suffering and glory are two sides of the same coin. Jesus warned his disciples that He had to suffer in order to fulfill the will of His Father and redeem the world. We see Jesus’ submission to God’s will while He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and just before His death on the cross.

PROUD TO SUFFER

There are many people who have faced humiliation and persecutions for their faith in Jesus. Some of them have overcome these very difficult and testing times and have emerged with a stronger faith. At one time a group of youngsters came me after their house mates had threatened them and made fun of them for going to Holy Mass regularly. But these threats did not frighten or deter them from their convictions. In fact the greater the ridicule, the bigger became their resolve. They defied the threats and carried on as before. They felt very happy for the opportunity to stand firm in their faith and felt proud to suffer the ignominy for the sake of their Saviour and have the honour to witness to Him in the face of adversity. They are many similar edifying life models among the younger generation.

STAND IN SOLIDARITY

But actual persecution has a much wider dimension in real life. It has a global perspective and implications besides personal witnessing. Hundreds of the faithful are facing much greater persecution in their daily lives in many countries around the world. Their very own survival is at stake and their whole families are facing elimination. They have done nothing wrong nor did they hurt anyone, their only crime is that they have chosen to take the right route in life by following the way of Christ. Their suffering is also our suffering and we should stand in solidarity with them as we pray that they will be given the strength and courage to continue to declare Jesus as their living Lord. “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:11-12) The apostles were threatened and warned not to preach the Gospel or talk about Jesus but the human threats of harm did not bother them; it only strengthened their resolve to keep going with their evangelizing mission.

OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

The cross is the ultimate source of comfort and strength for people who are facing persecution and rejection through no fault of their own. They can receive courage and hope from the cross to help them to withstand the agony and torture. Our pain will never be greater than the pain of Jesus on the cross. When we join our suffering to His divine suffering, we will feel relief, as the Lord of the cross will take our burdens on Himself. In this way we will renew our lives by being washed in the blessed blood of the innocent lamb. This will empower us to overcome our weak sinful nature and be bold in proclaiming our allegiance to God.

OFFER UP YOUR SUFFERING

If people ridicule you for trying to lead a holy life, remember you are not the first one. In fact you have a reason to rejoice, because through it you are being drawn closer to your creator. Offer all your concerns to your ever loving Father and offer your pain at the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, then you will have no room to despair. If you have ever rejected Jesus, like St. Peter did three times, it is time to repent and like St. Peter, get back fast into His fold. He is merciful and will accept us with open arms. When our suffering is undeserved, the sublime example of Jesus can inspire and strengthen us, then we will make our call meaningful to God.

NEVER GIVE UP

My dear young friends, if you have been treated unfairly for being a Christian, or have been made fun of for believing in God or for practicing your faith be assured that it will produce a great blessing and consider it a great privilege to be persecuted for Christ. Never give up or be tempted to go back to your old ways when you face such situations, instead continue to work for the Lord with renewed strength and courage. Don’t reject Him but cling on to Him more tightly and proclaim that Jesus is your personal Lord and Saviour. The crown of martyrdom for Jesus is the highest glory. Most of us will never face such a challenge in our lifetime but we will get lots of opportunities to show God’s love and share His mercy with our less-privileged brothers and sisters. We will be able to do that only when we live in tune with the Gospel. Suffering, grief and loss are all part and parcel of our lives and enduring and surviving them, without losing faith in God, is most important. What matters is how we face these difficulties and how we overcome them. Great gifts await those who are successful; they will have the highest reward of reaching heaven and seeing God face to face for all eternity. This reward is infinite unlike our finite life of suffering on earth.

DO NOT BE AFRAID

The Word of God tells us never to be afraid of the challenges and trials in life. If our faith and trust in the Lord is firm, we will be honoured, raised and rewarded unimaginably. In difficult times, we will be supported by God’s Holy Spirit and by the prayers of our Holy Mother, Mary, the Saints and the Martyrs who have gone before us.

 

“we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because god’s love has been poured into our hearts through the holy spirit that has been given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5

 

Written by Fr Soji Olikkal

Lent 

ASH WEDNESDAY WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Ash Wednesday is the one day in the year when you can spot the Catholics because they are the ones with the dirty smudges on their foreheads. But what is the significance? Why use ashes?

 

A SIGN FOR THE WORLD

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent – a period of forty days of preparation for Christians leading up to the great events of Easter when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. This year it is on February 18th. Traditionally it was called the Day of Ashes and has been a feature of the Church all round the world for over a thousand years. It is an important day in the Church’s calendar as it is the day when Christians proudly show their commitment to Christ by displaying the sign of the cross on their foreheads.

A SIGN OF REPENTANCE

Ashes, the dust that remains after something has been burnt, have long been associated with death and grief and in the Bible there are references to people using ashes as a sign of repentance and sorrow for their sins. Daniel, asking for forgiveness on behalf of the people who have turned away from God says, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3)

A SIGN OF THE CROSS

Ashes also remind us that we are human and that one day we will die. As the sign of the cross is made on our foreheads the Priest may say one of two phrases either, “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return” or more commonly these days, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The first phrase echoes the words of Genesis 3:19 when God punishes Adam for his disobedience and the second phrase reminds us that although we will die, Jesus has won the victory over death. If we repent and believe in the good news of the Gospel then we can be saved and have everlasting life.

A SIGN OF OUR FAITH

The ashes are mixed with holy water before being blessed by a priest. They are produced by burning palm crosses that have been saved from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, when they were used to celebrate Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. By using these ashes, we are reminded that our lives are full of ups and downs, sometimes we celebrate victory and at other times we are asked to carry our cross, as Jesus did on the way to His crucifixion. In the past slave owners would mark their slaves with a sign on the heads so that everyone knew who they belonged to and it is the same with us, when the sign of the cross is made on our foreheads with the ashes it symbolises that Jesus is our Lord and Master. When we cross ourselves with Holy Water as we enter Church we are saying that we belong to Christ and he is a shield to protect us.

A SIGN OF SELF-CONTROL

Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting when Catholics are asked, if they can, to give up a meal and not to eat meat. The idea behind fasting is that when we don’t eat for a while then we feel hungry and we are much more alert and able to pray. If we are full or have eaten too much then we feel tired and have no energy. Fasting helps us to appreciate the good things that we have and it also helps us to have control over our bodies and to resist temptation. Christians have always recognised that fasting brings us closer to God and helps us to pray. At the beginning of his ministry Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting and the Gospels tell us that He was tempted by the devil but, because He was fasting and praying, He had the strength to overcome the temptations.

A SIGN OF SACRIFICE

The forty days of Lent that lead up to Good Friday are traditionally times when Christians fast by giving up sweets, certain foods, drinks or activities like watching our favourite TV programme. We give up something that we would normally enjoy. This helps us to resist temptation and it also helps us to remember that not everyone can afford the luxuries that we have and many people in the world do not have enough food and clean water. Lent is also a very good time to reach out and help others by getting involved in social action projects that help the poor or the oppressed. At the World Youth day in Rio Pope Francis said, “Evangelizing means bearing personal witness to the love of God, it is overcoming our selfishness, it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.” Lent is a time to be less selfish and give our time, our energy and our money to help others. It is also a good time to give more of our precious time to God in prayer, Bible reading and reflection. We should try to go to Mass more often and making a good Confession in the Sacrament of Reconciliation will all help us to get closer to God.

A SIGN TO LOOK FORWARD

Although Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and sacrifice we do all these things because we are preparing ourselves to celebrate the greatest feast in the Church’s year, Easter, when Christ, by his death and resurrection saved us from our sins. The greatest act of love ever!

REFLECTION: Let us take a moment to reflect on what we can do this Lent to help us on our journey of faith. What sacrifices can we make to show the Lord that we want to draw closer to him and how can we share his love with others?

 

“In every province where the king’s command had come, there was much crying and sadness among the Jews. They were fasting and crying loudly. Many Jews were lying on the ground dressed in sackcloth with ashes on their heads.” Esther 4:3