VIEW FROM NEWMAN HOUSE

                                                                                             February/March 2012  

Now as we come closer to the season which is specially marked by the mysteries of our redemption, the days leading up to the Easter festival, the need for our religious preparation is proclaimed ever more insistently...
Pope St Leo the Great wrote these words in the years between 440-460 and they show how seriously the early church took the season of Lent. In our own lives we often fail to harness the power of waiting, preparing and saving. Until recently credit has been so easy to come by that people had no need to save, they just bought things straight away. In modern times meat and other high-end foodstuffs have become so cheap that we have not had to wait for a special occasion to feast. Nowadays people no longer prepare food themselves or clean the car or repair their clothes they just get others to do it for them. Who hasn’t opted to eat out instead of preparing a home cooked meal round the family table? Who hasn’t opted for the quick option of finance instead of saving up the cash? Who hasn’t put the decorations up early in advent instead of waiting till nearer Christmas?

We can all be so eager to reach a destination or achieve a goal that we fail to enjoy the journey along the way. Lent is a time of journeying towards Easter and is an important journey in itself. It is a time of waiting on God- asking him through prayer to speak to us. It is a time of preparing our lives for a new life with Him. It is a time of saving up good spiritual things and of clearing out the things we want to change.
The economic downturn which has been rumbling on for the past few years has begun to focus people minds on what really matters in life. Do we judge our success in life too much by wealth? Wealth which is only judged in terms of money. Lent this year should provide us as Christians with an opportunity to re-evaluate our relationship with God. Lent is like a meeting with the bank manager where we assess where we are and see what needs to change, what needs to be saved, what needs investing in. Lent is a time which if we invest in it, will gives us a return at Easter which reflects what we have paid in spiritually.
Since earliest times there has been a threefold focus to Lent based on justice.

JUSTICE TO GOD
First because we are made by God in His image and because of His love towards us it is right that we owe him our gratitude and love in return. Our first act of justice then should be towards him and we should endeavour to pray more and to love him more closely. In Lent this might take the form of committing ourselves to a regular prayer time at home, saying a rosary or attending a weekday mass. It should also include an element to repentance (saying sorry to God) for the times we have fallen short. There will be opportunities to make your confession to a priest throughout Lent.

JUSTICE TO OURSELVES
It is the Church’s practice to abstain from meat on ALL Fridays of the year and in Lent this is extended to Ash Wednesday. In addition the Church asks people to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday which means that only one meal should be consumed and two light snacks. Fasting and abstinence is a very good way of disciplining the mind and body. It teaches us to not expect to get everything we want at once and it can focus the mind on God. People under 15 and over 60 are exempt from fasting but should still abstain from meat.

JUSTICE TO OUR NEIGHBOUR
In Lent Christians have traditionally given alms (given money charitably). We should all consider what we give to the church and to charity and see if at these difficult times if we can give more to good causes because there are always those worse off than ourselves and if money is tight we should think of how we can take something on: maybe you have a neighbour who needs help with her shopping? Or you know someone who is lonely and would appreciate a visit? All of these things build up, in a visible way, the body of Christ. We should seek to show our love to people through our deeds this Lent.

There are opportunities to deepen your faith and practice this Lent:
This year I shall be running a Lent course based on the Gospel narratives of the passion Of Jesus. These will be On Wednesday mornings (after mass and before the lent lunch) for one hour in the parish centre. There will also be a evening class on Tuesday evenings from 7.30-8.30 at Newman House (22 Challener Way). Please do sign up if you are willing to commit to the 6 weeks of sessions. I am aiming to make the classes as accessible as possible- I promise they will not be too taxing. The sessions will be a great opportunity to learn more about Jesus, events surrounding Easter in His life, share experiences and ask questions.

I commend to your prayers the collect for Ash Wednesday:

Grant, O Lord that we may begin with Holy Fasting this campaign of Christian Service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self restraint. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Fr. Naylor

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