The Season of Lent

It is "Ash Wednesday", and today begins Lent. For the next forty days (not counting Sunday's) we think about, meditate and discuss the life of Jesus from now until Easter Sunday. Forty days. When we look at the whole of our lives, it is such a short period of time.

Being a cancer patient, with a severe cancer, I often think about the "time I have left". How long do I have? What will happen and when? What should I do with the time I have left? So many questions when we begin to think about our mortality. Even now, when doctor's say we can still speak about "years", there are so many things I want to do, to accomplish.

I want to see my children safe and grown, enjoying their lives with mine. I want to take that vacation that I have often thought about, to places that I have never been. I would like to see the ruins of Athens, or walk the Great Wall of China. If I could choose what to do, there would be such a list.

I would write that book I always dreamed of writing, or take a cruise. I would make that wish come true for someone in my family, whatever wish they might have. I would think about more satisfying accomplishments as well. In the time left, I would like to make a difference somehow, to someone. 

Forty days. If you knew the time and how long you had, what would you do? Most of us would fill up that time with things that of course were beneficial to us, or on out agenda, or that of our family. We might slip in some "for the good of mankind" activities, but out main emphasis would be on our life.

When I think about this period of time, I know that Jesus knew his schedule. He knew how much time he had left and what was to come. On what we know as Ash Wednesday, Jesus knew he had forty days, and knew his time was rapidly approaching. Yet what did he do?

He continued to teach the people, and proclaim the kingdom of God. He continued his work and mission. He did not take a vacation. He did not seek to fill his life with his personal agenda. He continued to teach us the word of God, right up until the moment of his death, and of course, afterwards with the resurrection.

We cannot reach the level of Godliness and purity of Jesus. We cannot hope to come close to his mercy and holiness. We can only try to gain some part of his gift to us. We all hopefully have more than forty days. Who knows how many, but we should try to live as Jesus did, each day, and try and find something we can do to help others, to strengthen our faith and the faith of others.

In the time that we do have, we should always try to walk in the light of God, and the mercy of Jesus, and live to serve our fellow man.

@RiCaL 2005