Reflection on Lent

Reflection on Lent

A few days ago, Hypolite Adigwe, colleague and friend of HIFA co-founder Aaron Ekwu, sent us his reflection on Lent.

The Smiling Lent

When this Lent comes, it makes me smile
The kind of smile that never existed
It brings the joy that was never there

This kind of joy that makes me smile
To suffer and yet be glad
How can I suffer and yet be glad?

At first, I thought of a masochist
Who inflicts much pain on himself
But no, I have suffered

This kind of joy is from Christ
He gave the answer on the cross
So joy can spring from the cross

When our salvation comes from him
As he hung on the cross
Then joy can emanate from my cross

But not because it is my cross
But because it is accepted by Jesus
My cross becomes the cross of Christ

Please come, gracious Lent, extend the grace
The grace once won by Christ
That makes my suffering the suffering of Christ

O gracious Lent, you are now welcome
To heal my pains and my loss
Through the grace of Christ’s pains and losses.

Hypolite Adigwe
Lent 2022