“Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper, and happy are those who trust in the Lord” (Proverbs 16:20).

As I watch the news and hear about the tragedies and sufferings going on around the world I feel anxious about the future and I feel the same with you too. Where are we heading to? What are the chaoses we are going to face in the future? Is humanity challenging God in their own way?  What is going to happen next? Everything is uncertain and who can we trust and depend on in this time of chaos and other calamities that threaten the world? I remember a message that my friend sent “Life is peaceful when you rest on the promises of God’s Word”. This is what I want each and everyone of you to do. Trust God absolutely and find comfort in the Bible. We can take refuge in Him and the promises He has given us. There is nothing that God can’t handle, all we have to do is Trust in Him and call on Him and He will come to our rescue. Whatever we face He will be there for us…. Provided we Trust in Him. Now I remember a story I read somedays back: “A person started to walk on a rope tied between two tall towers. He was walking slowly, balancing a long stick in his hands. He had his son sitting on his shoulders. Everyone on the ground were watching him in bated breath and were very tensed. When he slowly reached the second tower, every one clapped, whistled and welcomed him. They shook hands and took selfies. He asked the crowd “do you all think I can walk back on the same rope now from this side to that side?” Crowd shouted in one voice “Yes, Yes, you can.” Do you trust me, he asked? They said yes, yes, we are ready to bet on you. He said okay, can any one of you give your child to sit on my shoulder; I will take the child to the other side safely. There was stunned silence. Every one became quiet. 

My friends in Christ “Belief is different. Trust is different”. For Trust you need to surrender totally. This is what we lack towards God in today’s world. Jeremiah 17:7 says “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord”. Let us do it as we go through this season.

You are dust and unto dust you shall return….” These are the words the priest recites as he smears ashes on the foreheads of all the Catholics in all churches on the auspicious day of Ash Wednesday. It reminds us that we are starting the season of Lent. We are called to meditate on the paschal mystery of Jesus (the passion, death, and resurrection) during this period of Lent.  Don’t miss this Lent and don’t take it as insouciant, because it brings greater inner freedom, richer sense of sacrifice and compassion, and deeper sense of our relationship with God. Moreover, it refreshes our spiritual life and gives us better insight towards our faith, and also makes us to comprehend the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus has done for the expiration of our sins. Lent can also help us to lean back and take a few moments to know our spiritual incompetence and how far we are from the spiritual Life and how ignorant we are in our daily life in knowing God more deeply and His great plan for us. So my brothers and sisters Lent is the beautiful time to reboot and to renew our lives with new vigor that we very often miss. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be the case this year, we need to understand the seriousness of the season we observe and we need to make necessary changes in our lives, because this life is a beautiful gift from God and we should not regret later by saying to ourselves that I missed the opportunity.

As you know when God sent us to this earth we were like beautiful Angels but our growing up and our surroundings brought many changes in our lives, even we have disfigured the beautiful life in many ways by inflicting in us many evil things which is not appreciated by God, therefore we need to retrieve our original figure like an Angel as we present ourselves on the last judgment day before the Heavenly Father. We need to work hard when the opportunities avail before us. Lent is the best season for us to take a deep breath with God to see everything in the right perspective, and is the opportune time to walk with Him. Let us immerse ourselves in that deep ocean of mercy, let the high waves that come along not bother us because God is the one who threw us into it. He will take care of us. Fight against the evils on the way as you enter into this season of lent, and have a meaningful Lent for your own salvation.