Today marks the first day of the Christian Lent period which is also Ash Wednesday, a day where Christians attend Mass/Service and religious leaders draw the sign of a cross with ashes onto their foreheads as ashes are a symbol of repentance and death where as Lent is a season of spiritual preparation where many Christians fast and repent ahead of Easter.
However, Christians have been called upon to deeply reflect about their spiritual well-being ahead of Easter celebrations because the end goal is to see Jesus.
Fr Odii through a phone call urged people to take advantage of this period to renew themselves spiritually, morally, to grow in faith and to strengthen their belief in Jesus and in God so as to have a better relationship with not only the creator, but also with one another.
The period is meant to identify the faithful with Jesus Christ.
Thus, observing Ash Wednesday at the start of the Lent season represents one’s repentance from sin as well as the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The ash sets followers free from sin and death.
In some religions, some Christians give up a bad habit, such as smoking, watching TV, swearing, or a food or drink.
Others take on a Lenten discipline of reading the Bible and praying.
The 40-day period is attributed to two episodes of spiritual testing in the Bible which are the 40 years of wilderness wanderings by the Israelite’s after they left Egypt.
Restrictions in this period include,
Avoid focusing solely on self.
Don’t simply do without for the sake of doing without: We need to add more God into our lives.
Don’t make your Lenten intentions something temporary.
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