Lent: More than a Season

I am so excited to be writing again! Lately, most of my writing energy has been spent on poems. I am happy to put down some of my personal reflections on this Lenten journey, I look forward to every bit of it.

Lent, for me, is more than a season. It’s an opportunity. An occasion to eliminate some of life’s unproductive tendencies. The 40- day long journey begins with the Ash Wednesday: a day fasting, prayers and almsgiving are observed and is expected to span across the 40 day journey.

Moreover, I have always understood the importance of Ash Wednesday beyond receiving ashes. Infact, there has been times when I couldn’t make it to receive the ashes and still I didn’t think my Lenten observance as less solemn.

Accordingly, the lack of solemnity would have been if I didn’t see in lent an opportunity for self-improvement.

Hence, there is always something about us that could be improved on, an attitude change, a disposition that could be improved on , and positive resolutions etc. Lent provides a perfect chance to effect a complete mental or behavioral overhaul.

Thus lots of self examination and self scrutiny, I will be bringing to my Lenten journey, my heightened sense of SELF-consciousness. This is one major unproductive reality I am taking with me on this 40 day journey for expulsion. I am ready to bust my hump on this with God helping me on every step.

More than a period of religious rituals, I will drag SELF with me daily to be slaughtered at the altar of sacrifice, this way when the prince of this world comes to inflict his kind, he finds nothing on me!

Prayer

Jesus, help me conquer SELF in this journey and beyond. Amen

© Uc-Okonmah 2022