大象传媒

Good morning. For many people, next Saturday and Sunday will be just another very welcome bank holiday weekend.聽 An opportunity to spend more time with family and friends, or spending time on a hobby or holiday. But for Christians it will be Easter, the most important annual feast in their year, trumping even Christmas in significance.
The preparations we make for any event or celebration can be very demanding. We sacrifice time, energy and resources; all of which聽 are precious commodities in any busy life.

The spiritual preparations which Christians have been making during Lent are certainly no less demanding: the additional time we have to find for prayer; the extra effort anyone who fasts has to make; and, the generosity we have to extend by donating some of our resources to charities: almsgiving, to help others in need. Yet, these three: prayer, fasting and almsgiving are essential in helping Christians and others to focus our lives on what is most important.

Their practice helps us to understand that we are truly free when we choose to spend our time doing not what we want, but what we believe to be right; we are truly fulfilled when we use our energy not in pursuit of our own happiness but to bring joy to the lives of others; and, that we are truly rich when we gladly choose to surrender what we own in order to provide for those in need.

Heavenly Father, send us your spirit and wisdom to enlighten and guide, so that we may seek always the true freedom, fulfilment and treasure which are found in you. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen