Last week the greatest season of all started, the season of Lent. With Lent comes fasting and love. Not only is fasting important but our actions that reflect our Christian spirit. With this spirit, the local community of Sabeel went on February 24th to the elderly home, Notre Dame des Douleurs (Our Lady of Sorrows), to share the Lenten spirit with them. A total of 25 participants joined together, and we left our Sabeel offices around 2:30 pm. In addition, Fr. Shimon from the Assyrian Orthodox Church was able to come with us. We had also invited 2 other clergy men to join us, but unfortunately the timing did not fit with their schedules.
The local community was very gracious in donating items that the elderly needed. The people were generous with their hearts as well when we all met the elderly in their dining hall, exchanging smiles and hellos. This turned into a big warm welcome, and we started dancing and singing with them right after Fr. Shimon spoke a word of wisdom about this Lenten season, and we all prayed together. One of our young adults even played the piano, and others danced. It was a true connecting moment with family, friends and new acquaintances.
We were supposed to have a Catholic priest with us to lead the reflection on the Lenten season, but due to a death in his congregation, he apologized. Mrs. Sawsan Bitar from Sabeel presented the 10 points, also called “modern commandments,” that were spoken by Pope Francis recently along with the new way of fasting that he spoke about such as “don’t gossip,” “don’t judge, ”don’t fear commitment,” and “be happy”…etc. Then we discussed them all together.
The participants appreciated the time given to them for reflection and also for being a part of this important program of giving.
