It is a blessing to dive deeper into the lenten reflections for the community at Shanthivanam. As consecrated religious, your life is already a "prolonged Lent"—a constant seeking of the face of God. I'm happy to offer you the usual Lenten on 12 expanded points that aims to move from the head to the heart, integrating the unique contemplative spirit of your ashram with the universal call of the Church.
1. Introduction: The "Desert" in the Garden
Shanthivanam is a "Grove of Peace," yet even in paradise, the heart can feel like a desert. Lent is not an intrusion into our peace; it is a refinement of it. We often mistake "silence" for the absence of noise, but true Lenten silence is the presence of God. We enter this season to strip away the "false self"—the masks we wear even in religious life.
The Humorous Truth: We often approach Lent like a spiritual marathon, trying to impress God with our stamina. Remember the monk who bragged, "I am the humblest man in the monastery!" If we are proud of our penance, we have already lost the merit.
Concluding Thought: Lent is not a season of losing something, but of finding Someone. We don't go into the desert to see how much we can do without; we go to see how much more of God we can fit within.
2. The Biblical Foundation: The Forty Days
The number forty represents a generation, a time of preparation, and a journey toward a new identity. Just as the Israelites had to get "Egypt out of them" before entering the Promised Land, we use these forty days to remove the worldly attachments that cling to our hearts.
It is one of the most significant "symbolic" numbers in the text.
Here is a breakdown of the most prominent occurrences:
1. Trials and Testing
- The Great Flood: In Genesis 7, the rain falls for 40 days and 40 nights to cleanse the earth.
- Jesus in the Wilderness: In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Jesus fasts for 40 days while being tempted by the devil before starting his public ministry.
- Moses on Sinai: Moses stays on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (twice) to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:18).
2. Preparation and Transitions
- The Exodus: The Israelites wander in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land—one year for every day the scouts explored Canaan (Numbers 14:34).
- Elijah’s Journey: The prophet Elijah travels for 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb on a single meal provided by an angel (1 Kings 19:8).
- Post-Resurrection: In the Book of Acts, Jesus appears to his disciples for 40 days after his resurrection before ascending to heaven (Acts 1:3).
3. Judgment and Mercy
- Nineveh’s Grace Period: In the Book of Jonah, the prophet proclaims, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4). This leads to the city's repentance.
- The Giants: Goliath taunts the Israelites for 40 days before David finally steps forward to face him (1 Samuel 17:16).
Why is it always 40?
In biblical numerology, 40 isn't always meant to be a literal stopwatch measurement. Scholars often suggest it represents a "complete" amount of time necessary for a major spiritual change or a new generation to rise.
Fun Fact: The NRSV uses the word "forty" approximately 150 times, keeping it consistent with the traditional Hebrew and Greek counts.
The Temptation of Jesus: The Ultimate Pattern
The most direct foundation for Lent is Jesus’ time in the wilderness. After His baptism, Jesus was "led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days" (Luke 4:1-2).
- Reflection: Jesus faced the core temptations of humanity—power, hunger, and ego—and overcame them through Scripture and reliance on the Father. We enter the "wilderness" of Lent to face our own temptations alongside Him.
Concluding Thought: The desert was not a detour for Jesus; it was his preparation. Forty days of "No" to the world is the only way to say a perfect "Yes" to the Father.
3. Metanoia: Beyond Changing Habits
Metanoia is often translated as "repentance," but in the Greek, it means "to change your lens." It is a radical shift in how we see God, ourselves, and our community members. In the religious life, we can become "comfortably holy." Metanoia shakes us out of our spiritual lethargy.
The Story: A young novice once asked his elder, "Abba, I have given up meat and wine, I sleep on the floor, and I pray all night. Am I holy?" The elder replied, "Tell me, do you still get angry when someone disagrees with you?" The novice nodded. "Then," said the elder, "you are just a tired man with a bad temper."
Concluding Thought: Repentance is more than counting our sins; it is recounting God’s mercies. It is not about looking down at our failures, but looking up at His face.
4. Prayer: The Breath of the Consecrated
In Shanthivanam, prayer is the rhythm of your day. But Lent asks us: Is your prayer a dialogue or a monologue? Consecrated prayer must move from "saying prayers" to "becoming prayer." It is the act of standing naked before the Truth.
Full Quote: "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words." (Matthew 6:6-7)
Concluding Thought: Prayer is the "Santi" (Peace) of the "Vanam" (Forest). If you are too busy to pray, you are busier than God ever intended you to be.
5. Fasting: Making Space for the Feast
Fasting is the "physiotherapy" of the soul. It teaches the will to say "no" to the belly so the heart can say "yes" to God. For the religious, the most powerful fast is often the "Fast of the Tongue." To refrain from the "juicy" bit of gossip or the sharp retort is a greater sacrifice than skipping a meal.
Humor: There was a brother who gave up coffee for Lent. By the second week, his community offered to buy him a latte just so he would stop being so miserable to be around! True fasting should increase our charity, not our irritability.
Concluding Thought: A hungry stomach is a reminder of a hungry soul. Let your physical hunger for bread be transformed into a spiritual hunger for the Word.
6. Almsgiving: The Flow of the River
Living by the river, you see that water must move to remain pure. In the religious life, our "alms" are often our time, our listening ear, and our patience. To give alms is to recognize that nothing we have—not even our spiritual gifts—belongs to us alone.
Full Quote: "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back." (Luke 6:38)
Concluding Thought: Like the Cauvery, our grace is meant to flow through us, not be dammed up by us. We only keep what we give away.
7. The Tradition of the Desert Fathers
The Church's tradition of asceticism began with men and women who fled to the desert to find "the one thing necessary." They taught that the greatest battle is against the logismoi (the thoughts). They practiced custody of the heart.
The Experience: Abba Moses was asked to join a council to judge a sinning brother. He refused. When they insisted, he took a leaking jug of water and carried it on his back. When asked why, he said, "My sins run out behind me and I do not see them, and today I come to judge the errors of another."
Concluding Thought: The Desert Fathers taught us that the cell (our room) will teach us everything—if we stay in it. Lent is the time to stop running from ourselves so we can be found by God.
8. Humility: The Ground of Shanthivanam
In the Indian tradition of the Ashram, the Guru-shishya relationship is built on humility. In the Catholic tradition, Christ is the ultimate model of Kenosis (self-emptying). Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.
Reflection: If we feel offended by a superior or a peer, it is a sign that our "Ego" is still very much alive and well. Lent is the season to let that Ego die a quiet death.
Concluding Thought: Humility is the only soil in which the fruit of the Spirit can grow. To be "lowly" is to be "holy," for God can only fill what is empty.
9. The Experience of the Cross
The Cross is the bridge between our humanity and God’s divinity. For the consecrated, the Cross often takes the form of the "daily grind"—the monotony of bells, chores, and the same faces at the refectory. We embrace these not as burdens, but as our path to sanctification.
Full Quote: "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" (Matthew 16:24-25)
Concluding Thought: The Cross is the only ladder tall enough to reach Heaven. When the wood of the Cross feels heavy, remember it is also the wood that keeps us afloat in the storms of life.
10. Reconciliation: The Great Reset
Lent is the "acceptable time" for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is the moment we stop pretending to be perfect. In the community, asking for forgiveness from one another is just as important as asking it from God. A community that cannot say "I am sorry" cannot celebrate Easter.
Full Quote: "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)
Concluding Thought: Confession is the "spiritual shower" of the soul. There is no sin so dark that God’s light cannot bleach it white, and no heart so broken that His mercy cannot mend it.
11. The Joy of the Coming Resurrection
We are "Easter people" living in a "Lent world." Our penance is always illuminated by the light of the empty tomb. We do not fast as those who have no hope; we fast as those who are hungry for the wedding feast of the Lamb. This joy should be visible on our faces.
Concluding Thought: We are a "Hallelujah" people. If our Lent is lived correctly, our Easter will not just be a day on the calendar, but a permanent state of the heart.
12. Conclusion: A Call to Radical Love
As you prepare for Lent 2026 in Shanthivanam, remember that the goal is not to be "better," but to be "His." Let this Lent be a time of falling in love with the Lord all over again. Let the silence of the ashram be filled with the whisper of the Spirit.
Full Quote: "I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)
Concluding Thought: At the end of our lives, we will not be asked how many penances we performed, but how much love we put into our penance. Let love be the beginning, the middle, and the end of your Lent.
To help your community transition from reflection to action, here are specific Points for Examination of Conscience for consecrated religious, categorized by the three pillars of Lent.
These questions are designed to be used during a Holy Hour or personal meditation in the quiet of Shanthivanam.
I. Prayer: The Interior Life
The "Martha" Syndrome: Do I use "community duties" or "service to others" as an excuse to shorten my personal time with the Lord?
Presence vs. Performance: In the chapel, am I truly present to the Real Presence, or am I just "clocking in" for the liturgy?
The Silence of the Heart: Do I create an internal Shanthivanam, or is my mind filled with the noise of past hurts, future anxieties, and useless information?
Scriptural Nourishment: When I read the Word of God, do I allow it to judge me, or do I only use it to prepare talks for others?
II. Fasting: The Asceticism of Community
The Fast of the Tongue: Have I used my words to build up my brothers/sisters, or have I participated in "holy gossip" under the guise of "sharing concerns"?
Digital Asceticism: Does my use of the phone or internet fragment my attention and steal the time that belongs to God and my community?
The Fast of My Own Will: Am I flexible when community plans change, or do I become resentful when things don't go my way?
Comfort and Consumption: Have I become too attached to "special" foods, specific comforts, or my own "personal space" at the expense of the common good?
III. Almsgiving: Charity in Action
The Gift of Listening: Do I give my confreres/sisters the "alms" of my full attention, or am I constantly looking for an exit from the conversation?
Hospitality of the Heart: Living in an ashram, do I treat the "guest" as Christ, or do I see visitors as an interruption to my schedule?
Judging the "Weak": Am I patient with the infirm or elderly members of my community, or do I look down on those who can no longer "pull their weight"?
Gratitude vs. Grumbling: Is my life a witness of joy (the alms of hope), or do I spread a spirit of complaint and negativity in the house?
A Final "Ashram" Reflection
In the tradition of our founders, let us remember that the goal of this Lent is Advaita (non-duality) in the sense of being "one with the Father" as Jesus was. Every penance we choose should be a tool to remove the "I" and "Mine" so that only "He" remains.
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Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus,
We stand before You at the threshold of this Lenten journey in the sacred peace of Shanthivanam. We thank You for the gift of our consecrated life and the beauty of this community.
Holy Spirit, breathe upon us. Grant us the courage to enter the desert of our own hearts. Wash us in the living waters of Thanneerpalli, that our penance may be sincere and our hearts may be widened. May our fasting be a feast of love, our prayer a song of intimacy, and our silence a sanctuary for Your Word.
Help us to carry our crosses with a smile, to forgive one another with a generous heart, and to walk toward the light of Easter with unwavering hope. May our lives be a "Shanthivanam"—a forest of peace—for all who seek You.
Amen.
