Priest urges: Let's be better versions of ourselves

RC priest Fr Martin Sirju took the opportunity of the start of Lent to urge people not to remain the same and to become better versions of themselves.

He was speaking on Ash Wednesday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port of Spain, which was filled with students from the Nelson Street Boys’ and Girls’ RC schools and members of the public. The service began at 9 am, there was another at 12 and the last one was scheduled for 5 pm, to be officiated by Archbishop Jason Gordon. He was also originally due to lead the midday service, but Fr Sirju took over.

Lent is a period of fasting used by Christians as a cleansing process, as they are required to sacrifice something that brings great pleasure. It's also a time to confess and repent one's sins.

During the service, Sirju told the congregation to ask themselves, “What are some of the things that I have to do where I can go from Point A to B?"

He added, “Pray, fast and be in arms. Let us go with that. I want to say that there are other ways of fasting, and some of our spiritual writers are saying that as well.

"The second you are in an argument and you must have the final word, say to yourself, ‘I’m not going to have the final word in this argument. Let the other person have it.’

"If you find your mouth is running a little too much, possibly say, ‘I’m going to fast from gossiping.’

"If you find yourself hungry and you start getting irritable, say to yourself, ‘Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, and so if he can fast for 40 days and 40 nights, I can be hungry for an hour or two.’”

At the end of the service he asked a few teachers who had accompanied the students to the church to help him mark the children's foreheads with a cross made from ashes. A few students of Nelson Street Boys’ were invited up to the altar to say prayers, in which some also thanked God for their teachers.

The students were joined by a few members of the public who wished to get their ashes before going about their day.

At midday, most of the congregation were working people using their lunchtime to visit the cathedral and get their ashes. Sirju took the place of the archbishop.