LENT

In recent years I have tried to treat Lent as a gift rather than a burden and it has helped. As I look back on my life I realise that my faith was presented to me largely as a series of obligations to be fulfilled. Now I appreciate that much depends on our different temperaments as to how we receive information and how it then shapes our thinking and understanding. However, if your early instruction in the faith led you to concentrate on all the obligations that needed fulfilling, then there is every chance that, like me, you found periods like Lent as rather burdensome. And yet, we have the paradox that Jesus invites us to come to him if we are feeling burdened: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest; shoulder my yoke and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Furthermore, St John, in his Gospel reminds us that Jesus teaches that if we follow him we will learn the truth and “the truth will set us free” (John 8:31-32). Jesus came to liberate us and allow us to live life to the full. I hope and pray that this Lent will be a time of liberation for you and me; a time when we take Jesus at his word and allow the gifts of his Spirit to flood our lives.