Lent is 40 days of spiritual pilgrimage focusing on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. There is about 159
times the word Forty is mentioned in the Holy Bible. Number Forty is associated with testing and
hardship one must endure obtaining spiritual awareness. God flooded the earth for 40 days and nights,
Moses, Elijah, and Jesus fasted for 40 days each, and the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years.
Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to bear the iniquity of Judea’s sins; 3 kings, namely, Saul, David,
and Solomon, reigned for 40 years, and Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days before David defeated him. The
period forty is considered a generation in the Holy Bible.
“…so that we can perceive others as Jesus perceived; a spoon full of love
into our eyes so that we can see the way Jesus saw.”
Lent is the Springtime of the Christian faith, with new spiritual leaves, flowers, air, and positive energy
everywhere leading to the celebration of the great fruit of the Easter Joy. Traditionally, the Lenten triad
we follow is prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But lent leading to Easter is much more than these; they are
just the paths to a greater experience. The essence of Easter is the story of Love. A love that is committed,
unconditional, and sacrificial, a genuine love of Jesus. He did not have to go through all that He went
through, but He chose to do it all for the sake of His love for each of us.
He commanded, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). It is a call to share that same
unconditional love of Jesus with the entire humanity today. His love was without terms and conditions.
Prayers, fasting, and almsgiving are just simple expressions of that love. But the spirit of Easter is way
beyond.
Our role today as we celebrate the great feast of Easter is to share the same unconditional and sacrificial
love with others around us in whatever ways possible. As the fruits of our Easter celebration are to add a
spoon full of love into our attitudes so that we can perceive others as Jesus perceived; a spoon full of love
into our eyes so that we can see the way Jesus saw; a spoon full of love into our ears that we hear others
as Jesus heard; a spoon full of love into our mouth that we can speak the way Jesus spoke; a spoon full of
love into our hearts that we can feel the way Jesus felt, and a spoon full of love into our lives that we can
live the way Jesus lived. This act of love will transform our human lives in all areas of daily living, such
as our attitudes, actions, conversation, perceptions, thoughts, and the very life itself. This personal
transformation and renewal are the real Resurrection experience in our personal lives. This is the true
Easter for us as individual human persons.
As we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus from the tomb where He was buried, we also resurrect from our
own daily tombs, such as our wrongdoings, faulty thinking, evil addictions, unhealthy attitudes, gossip,
selfishness, envy, jealousy, pride, lust, sloth, greed, wrath, arrogance, war, violence, racism, domination,
and subjugation. When we can replace these with the love of Christ, the resurrection takes place in our
personal life; if not, it becomes a routine and even meaningless celebration and tradition. A personal
resurrection and revival leading to our self-transformation will bring us Easter Joy and help us to be
joyful and happy people.
Happy Easter to You All!
May God bless us all!
Fr. Tomy J. Puliyan, MSFS
“ Holiness and Happiness through Wellness and Wholeness!”