Ash Wednesday

This is one of those years when the lunar new year and the start of the season of Lent coincide. Today is Ash Wednesday, the day when the more traditional churches have services where ash is placed on the foreheads of believers to signify our frailty and finiteness in the realm of things. We are reminded of something that humans try not to think about too much: that we shall all die for we are mortal. As sure as we are here today, one day our bodies will decay and turn to dust. It is easy to forget our humble origins as creatures of our God. In this world, humans have seemingly become so autonomous that we forget our utter dependence on God.

My hospital stay was a good reminder of the frailty and uncertainties of life. Health is something we tend to take for granted in our younger days. But there comes a time at midlife when various things do go wrong with our bodies, for some earlier, for others later. It is an inescapable fact of life that this human body is not a 'machine' that has many replaceable parts. Some parts can be 'replaced' in transplants but even then they have a limited life span.

A special friend sent me an sms today, with the wish "may the pain you endured bring you Lenten blessings of our Lord". She was the one who was with me through some of the hours of pain when I was restlessly trying to find a comfortable position to lie in bed (It's actually not possible with renal pain but one tries anyway). We bought an interesting book "The Wounds of Jesus" when we were in Singapore end of last year. This book explores the Passion of Jesus from the perspective of his wounds. It will be Lenten reading for us and we hope to share our responses to some of the reflection questions. I have started reading the book, and even the first pages remind me that I could never imagine "what pain Jesus had to bear" for us. He did not get an injection to numb the pain. He was moreover mocked while being physically abused. I know this book will not be easy reading but will require daily, thoughtful reflection.

Today is also the eve of the lunar new year - a time when families gather for reunion. It is a time of feasting. And yet, it can also be a thoughtful time for Christian families: that amid the many blessings of the year, we should also remember the Giver of gifts and reaffirm our frailty and utter dependence on him.