Lent Again!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

We are now into the season of Lent and it has been quite a journey so far, because I suddenly realised that most of my workflow and items that continuously would fight for my attention would come from three major composition of people: couples preparing for marriage, seminarians and the clergy.

I just finished one Engaged Encounter (EE) weekend (last weekend) and I was the presenting priest with two other presenting couples that oversaw to the presenting of topics concerning marriage and the married life in the Catholic perspective. There were 31 couples and we had them run through their paces on issues like communication, mutual responsibility, family life matters, marriage and all other related items that promote the married life within the embrace of God's life and love.

I am also made aware that I am, as the Spiritual Director of the House for the Seminary, all the spiritual needs and activities of the seminarians are under my care and nurturing. These will include retreats, recollections, spiritual direction which are spead out over the months of the year, where I am to have a reasonable take and insight to the pulse and rhythm of life of the seminarians under our care.

Then there is the Priestly Life Commission, which I am the current chairman. This means together with 9 other members, we look after the welfare and spiritual needs of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Singapore. This is no small task nor simple because of the many sensitivities and complicated issues that abound in relationship between priests and the laity, priests and priests and priests with the Bishop.

For all three, I am playing a role that is to encourage, nurture and enlightened, besides supporting and looking out for the general well-being of the persons. Heavy responsibilities, indeed. It is an interesting movement into Lent this year...

Related articles

• To Lent or not to Lent? (laurenlizallen.wordpress.com)
• Father James Farfaglia: Marriage Is Forever! (deaconforlife.blogspot.com)

EE'd

When one brings up the question of encountering God, the ideas and perception that comes with it usually may fall under that of visions, extraordinary happenings, etc. For some people, perhaps that may be the way needed to rouse up the attention of the seeker and point him or her towards the right or needed path to go.

For myself, I have never bothered with those and usually would seem suspect as I am one who prefer the quiet and ordinary to speak to me instead. It therefore depends on my disposition and attitude of my take to life and my surroundings. I was once again reminded of this during my Engaged Encounter of the last weekend where I, together with 2 other EE couples, presented and conducted the program for couples who were preparing for their wedding.

This was my first time facilitating and conducting this and was a little apprehensive about how I would go about to making it a fruitful one for all 30 couples that were there. But because of the encouragement and love shown by the presenting couples, I managed to weather through my nervousness and doubts and began to enjoy the sessions which began to speak to me about the love and life of God exhibited through all the couples present there.

Part of the life and love of God speaks also of the challenges and trials which any couple would undergo in making their marriage, not only, work but also beautiful. It was through the experiences at the EE that I once again encountered God in a significant way that was, at the same time, so down to earth and ordinary. By the end of the weekend, when everything was wrapped up, there was a mixed feeling of relief and also sadness that I had to leave the couples as we send them off to their impending married lives.

I have always known that God can be encountered in so many different ways that one does not need to go so far to find Him. To those who think God doesn't bother to get in touch with us, I can assure you He certainly does and does so in ways that we sometimes missed out on because we are looking elsewhere.