A 40-Day Intramural Against the Devil at his Homecourt
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Quaresma, i.e., the forty days of Lent in the Liturgical Calendar. Basing on tradition, it is the season of asceticism, of mastering the flesh by practicing puasa (fasting) and paumod (abstinence) and of recognizing one's sinfulness and making amend for them through the practice of penitencia (penance through flagellation).
My daughter, Vita, reported that she had her forehead marked with ashes by her Public Schools District Supervisor. She's 9 and claimed that she can't eat meat today as she had the ashes on her forehead. She further explained that through it, her sins will be washed away.
Now, I am tempted to put the blame on bad catechism by ill-informed catechists. My sophisticated faith is too proud to bring me to my knees to admit that I was failing in my duties as the father to my daughters. The truth of the matter is that I am guilty of failing to teach my children the ways of following Christ.
I remember making a solemn vow of teaching my children the rudiments of Christianity. I've initiated the step, but always, I wander into the bush and failed to sustain the instructions. Thus, my daughter claimed that the ashes in her head will wash away her sins.
So I am renewing my vow today as we begin our forty-day intramural against the devil right at his homecourt. A good start would be an elementary exegesis into Mark's account of the baptism of Jesus by John at the River Jordan (Mark 1: 9-11); of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert where he will wrestle with Satan for forty days (Mark 1:12-13) and his eventual victory and proclamation of his mission (Mark 1:14-15).
Hence, I pray, call me again, Oh Lord, and in my paths in the world, make me for my daughters a channel of your peace. Amen.
My daughter, Vita, reported that she had her forehead marked with ashes by her Public Schools District Supervisor. She's 9 and claimed that she can't eat meat today as she had the ashes on her forehead. She further explained that through it, her sins will be washed away.
Now, I am tempted to put the blame on bad catechism by ill-informed catechists. My sophisticated faith is too proud to bring me to my knees to admit that I was failing in my duties as the father to my daughters. The truth of the matter is that I am guilty of failing to teach my children the ways of following Christ.
I remember making a solemn vow of teaching my children the rudiments of Christianity. I've initiated the step, but always, I wander into the bush and failed to sustain the instructions. Thus, my daughter claimed that the ashes in her head will wash away her sins.
So I am renewing my vow today as we begin our forty-day intramural against the devil right at his homecourt. A good start would be an elementary exegesis into Mark's account of the baptism of Jesus by John at the River Jordan (Mark 1: 9-11); of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert where he will wrestle with Satan for forty days (Mark 1:12-13) and his eventual victory and proclamation of his mission (Mark 1:14-15).
Hence, I pray, call me again, Oh Lord, and in my paths in the world, make me for my daughters a channel of your peace. Amen.
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