REFLECTION
FROM ASHES TO THE GLORY OF THE
RESURRECTION
Javier Guativa
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday and
we will be at threshold of Easter. As we approach the end of Lent it is good to
review what the days of Lent have meant for us and remind ourselves that Lent
is not an isolated liturgical season, but is closely linked to the celebration
of Easter. Lent is to Easter what Advent is to Christmas. We all know that
great feasts are prepared for in advance; we need to prepare our hearts to
celebrate them with joy. And to get to the festive joy of Easter we had
also need to prepare ourselves, patiently, through the discovery of who we are
and self-growth.
For many Catholics, Lent is not
their preferred time of the year, perhaps, because, since the imposition of
ashes, we are reminded of our death, through words like "sacrifice",
"discipline" and "fast" that are repeated in the readings.
We come to believe that we are in a season focused on pain, rather than seeing
this season as an opportunity to grow. Very rarely do we think that Lent is a
second annual opportunity that we have to check whether our values and
priorities are in line with God's desires for us.
We began Lent with the Spirit
leading us into the desert. A difficult place in which we were invited to
confront the fears, doubts, failures, disappointments, and despair that often
creeps into our lives, something we usually avoid doing. A good Lent, however,
ends with a new understanding of ourselves, and a willingness to change and
grow away from our torments.
Let’s look at three areas for
meditation that could help us to review our Lenten season in light of the
Easter festivity that is approaching.
