It's Ash Wednesday! My phone have been ringing incessantly today and not too few of them are from people wanting to know the Mass times. This was despite ample notice given at last week's bulletin, announcement made at Mass and that we have a Secretariat office to handle such enquiries... *sigh*Meanwhile, it has been fine so far with the fast and abstinence for today. I didn't fall over the place in fainting or dizzying spells. Even when one takes a good look at how we fats and abstain for such occasion, I doubt if this is all really too little an effort for such great a venture. Two half meals and one full meal? I was wondering if we can just go a little more and just have one full meal instead! ;-) I am not making myself out to be a glutton for pain, nor championing for more rigid ascetism to wean ourselves from materialism, etc. It is about the question of a deeper appreciation of what lies ahead of us and that joy can still be found despite the "lack".
"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel" I prefer this than the other one which, though is just as true, can be rather ominous and overtly dramatic: "Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return!" However, whichever version is used, it is one t
hat calls us to begin some amount of soul searching and decision making in our lives. One, it brings to fore the fact that we are mortal and whatever time we have remaining, we had better make it a good and proper one. Two, there is no lack of work or services that can be done to see to the plight of our needy brothers and sisters. In this season of Lent then, what can you see yourself undergoing or undertaking to make this period a meaningful one?Lent is not a kill-joy season, it is not against life and its practical meaning which we encounter daily. It doesn't mean that we should desist from enjoying. On the contrary, it is about going deep down to the sources of joy and life. Think about it!
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"...whatever time we have remaining, we had better make it a good and proper one."
Sidetracking, the abovementioned statement brings me to a question that concerns time...
In the context of making our lives 'a good & proper one' - I speak of repentance:
What if a sinner (or one who has strayed) fails to repent (or 'turn back') before death - that is, regardless whether it's due to free will/choice, or unintentionally?
Does it mean he/she is condemned to the eternal fires of Hell?
My gist is: Does it mean a sinner has NO 'time' - so to speak - after death, to repent & seek atonement; is it only during our relatively short span of life in this world can we then atone for our sins & 'make it a good & proper one'?
If so, why can't we make amends even after we die (to this life), for we have all the time in the (new) world to.
(Of course may I disclaim too, that even if we ourselves choose not to repent, it may not (I stress modality here) be entirely due to our fault. I mean, what if the Devil is truly working its way through our inevitable weaknesses,subconsciously? And sure (yes yes... I hear you holler), we usually say the Devil is within us - yadda yadda... (and so we attribute sin solely as a due consequence of our choices) - but doesn't the fact remains that the Devil does have that ability to (influence & cause our every action, subconsciously). Blame the Devil only? Lame excuse for the wrongdoings that we ourselves commit? Fine. But why can't we? It's valid too. I mean, we have to concede that we're but humans with weaknesses too - but that doesnt mean we give up the fight against 'em too. Anyway, I digressed - & spoke a tad too much - for a comment)
Pls qualify.
Now on a different tangent though, the moral of the post is really thought-provoking, REALLY! "...going deep down to the sources of joy & life. Think about it!"
Indeed.
Insightful post,*fral* ~! =)
P.S: I still prefer the latter - "Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return!"
So hereupon ends my er, dollar's worth =P
Cheers~!
=)
1. The sinner has really "NO time" after death becos time is no longer a factor outside of our known world and dimension.
2. But that doesn't mean no form of repentance or to make amends even after that, i.e. when we leave our known world. That's why there is this issue of purgatory... ;-) ref Mt 12: 32
3. Still, wouldn't it be better off for all, that we do whatever the best we can in this world, now, while we still have THE time? :-)
Paps, featured this blog in SCDC-SMOTA's 08 March entry
http://www.scdc-smota.blogspot.com/
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