LENT: A JOURNEY TOGETHER IN HOPE

“I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; My master calls me, I must not say no.”

These words of the Earl of Kent, uttered in the closing scene of Shakespeare’s King Lear seems to be reflected in the liturgical season we are about to begin. As we journey through life, we are annually invited to embark once again on the “little journey” of Lent. Lent has a clearly defined beginning on Ash Wednesday and concludes on the afternoon of Holy Thursday, which then launches us into another journey – the three-day adventure, namely the Easter Triduum.

The Church reminds us in a dramatic way that Lent should represent a separation from our everyday reality and routine. She starts the season with a day of fast and abstinence and marks us with ash on our forehead, a visible sign of our mortality. This time is special, “set aside” to remind us that we are literally no longer in “ordinary time”, and to reorient our lives at the very start of the journey”.

Pope Francis, connecting the Lenten journey to a journey of hope – the themeof the Jubilee Year – offers three points for our reflection, which I would like to summarize here.

1. Lent is a journey: Lent reminds us of a journey. Just as the people of Israel journeyed from slavery to freedom, and through the desert to a land of promise, Lent is a journey that redeems us from the slavery to sin and sets us on the road to sanctity, from the desert of spiritual aridness to the plenitude of true Christian joy. This journey of ours is guided by the Lord. He is ever faithful to us even when we are not faithful to him. The Pope invites each of us to pause and reflect on some fundamental questions: “Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?”

2. Lent is a time to journey together with others: We are not solitary travellers in this universe; we journey together with others toward our ultimate destiny. The Vatican II Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, reminds us that the Church is “the People of God.” The concept of synodality, which Pope Francis constantly emphasizes, can be seen as a direct implementation of Vatican II’s vision of the Church as “the People of God journeying together,” rather than a hierarchical view of the Church. Pope Francis reminds us: “Journeying together means consolidating the unity grounded in our common dignity as children of God (cf. Gal 3:26-28). It means walking side-by-side, without shoving or stepping on others, without envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or excluded. Let us all walk in the same direction, tending towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience”.”

3. Lent is a journey undertaken in hope: There is a profound need for hope as we journey together. Lent is, without a doubt, a journey in hope – hope that, with God’s grace, we will reach our final destination. We take up various acts of penance, practices of piety, and mortification with the ‘hope’ that we can grow better and draw closer to God. Christ, who conquered sin and death, is our source of hope, and this hope “does not disappoint us” (cf. Rom 5:5). The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that the sufferings of our present life will be transformed into a triumph of glory, provided we remain faithful to Him and committed to our Christian vocation. Once again, the Pope presents us with several questions for reflection: “Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?”

The notion of Lent as a journey can be considered metaphorical. It is not about going “somewhere”. Instead, the path we need to undertake may be much more personal than we think. Dag Hammarskjold, the great statesman and Secretary General of UN (1953–1961), made this poetic observation in his 1964 book Markings which may be especially relevant to our understanding of Lent: “The longest journey is the journey inwards. Of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest for the source of his being”.

As we embark on this Lenten journey, let it be a transformative experience for all of us. God calls us to reflect on whether we are truly walking together with others in our lives, with our confreres, and with the people we serve. Let us resist the temptation to focus solely on our own needs. Instead, let us cultivate a welcoming spirit through tangible actions, making others feel included in our circle of relationships and activities. May the ministry we undertake and our efforts to build the Kingdom of God become more collaborative – a synodal journey in communion with others.

Remembering all of you with much love from the cradle of Salesian life, wishing you a happy feast of St. Joseph and a fruitful season of Lent,

Yours affectionately,

Fr. Jose Koyickal SDB

Provincial