BAVINA SOOKDEO
Lent is a sacred 40-day period of reflection, renewal, and spiritual discipline that begins on Ash Wednesday. Rooted in the principles of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, it calls believers to deepen their faith through self-denial and devotion.
Traditionally, many Christians observe Lent by fasting and abstaining from foods like meat and animal products, while others choose to forgo modern distractions such as social media, alcohol, or smoking. This period serves as a reminder of Jesus’ fasting in the desert, inspiring a renewed commitment to faith and virtue.
Amid rising crime and social challenges in Trinidad and Tobago, Lent offers an opportunity for reflection and transformation, serving as a spiritual antidote to society's struggles.
Several religious leaders, including Fr Simon Peter Ango, Roman Catholic parish priest of Gran Couva and Tabaquite, Anglican Bishop Claude Berkley and the Right Rev Daniel Chance, moderator of the Presbyterian Church, emphasise the relevance of Lent in today’s world and how its disciplines can inspire peace and societal change.
A time of spiritual renewal
Ango said that Lent is fundamentally a call to repentance and renewal. “Lent, in its essence, is a journey of repentance, a return to the wellspring of God’s grace. It is a time for us to examine the very fabric of our souls, to acknowledge our shortcomings, and to seek the divine remedy for our spiritual ailments. In a society where violence and moral decay threaten to overwhelm us, Lent offers a beacon of hope, a pathway to healing and restoration.”
Chance highlighted the battle between good and evil in the human experience. He explained, “Sin and evil have always been a part of our human experience. Evil, the power of darkness, is not something that is new to us. It is recorded in the Bible in the early chapters of Genesis. However, since God has created us for ‘good,’ evil, wherever it is allowed to grow and bear fruit, is not God’s plan for a people into whom he has placed his breath."
[caption id="attachment_1142434" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Lent is a sacred 40-day period of reflection, renewal, and spiritual discipline that begins on Ash Wednesday. - .[/caption]
“The Lenten season” he added “is a sacred time within the Christian calendar. It is a time of spiritual renewal. We reflect upon the character of God our Creator; the fact that we are created in his image and likeness; how we ought to live and what we have grown to become.”
Berkley emphasised the profound relevance of Lent in today’s society. He described the Lenten season as a “season of penitence and spiritual preparation,” highlighting its transformative power.
“It is a time when people are to reflect, when they are to strengthen their spiritual exercises, and in other words, grow a new person during the period, which can result in transformation.”
Berkley believes that by engaging in Lenten practices such as prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, individuals can foster renewal of the mind and a reduction in si
