Ambassadors For Christ
Ash Wednesday is upon us and the Lenten season begins with earnest.

This year we begin not just with our own intention for fasting and penance but with the universal view of the world as we also pray for peace and the end of war especially the one looming over Iraq. A right step towards our relationship with God, others and ourselves. For too long we may have been too inward looking and seeking our own conversion while the 'rest can fall by the way'.

Had an animated discussion with a middle-age parishioner last Sunday when she wanted to know whether the abstinence from meat (on Fridays) is still enforceable in Singapore. I, patiently, explained to her the obligation to do so as long as we are in the Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei diocese. Other dioceses may have a different approach. I also tried to stretched her mental 'box' a little to point out that all our fasting and/or abstinence should not centre on ourselves (or be bothered too much with the demand of rules and prescriptions) but is always for the others - less fortunate, in desperate need, the world at large. Only then could we have a better approach to our own look at ourselves and, in all this, be able to sincerely renew our relationship with our Creator.

Let the spirit of God be in all that we do, prevail in taking us to great heights of discipleship and not allowing the rules and laws to drag us down to the abyss of mediocrity, complacency and rigidity. Let us truly show that we CAN be ambassadors for Christ!