The first mass of the Lenten season was held at 6 a.m at St Sebastian Church Bendur. Parish Priest Fr Antony Serrao celebrated the mass. In his homily he said that we have 2 kinds of thoughts they are negative and positive. When we think negative, we feel helpless, weak and give up everything in life but when we think positive we feel strong, helpful and we will love everyone equally.

Negative thoughts always make us to blame others. We need to practice to think positive, it will not just happen overnight, to be able to benefit properly you will have to consciously channel your thoughts to be positive. Negative thoughts will find a way to creep into your mind, and it is up to you to decide whether to entertain them or not. You are what you think yourself to be, and others tend to see you as they perceive you to be seeing yourself. That is why it is so important to think positively and be what you want to be. In this Lenten season we need to make ourselves perfect by correcting our mistakes without blaming others. 

While concluding, Fr Serrao said, Lent means recalling the sufferings of Christ, the fasting, his  crucifixion and burial, the suffering of Mother Mary seeing her son undergo torture and death and  the last Supper. Besides, we have to keep three things in mind they are charity, fasting and prayer. Fasting will keep a person healthy and also strengthen the bond with God. In every community there is fasting and every one must fast according to their religion. This Lenten season is the time to change ourselves, change our habits and to lead a spiritual life without harming anyone.”

Priests and nuns  applied Ash on the foreheads of all the faithful, while uttering the profound words – “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” ( meaning that all humans have come from dust and to dust they shall return). The philosophy behind this discourages all Christians from giving undue importance to material things and to concentrate more on love, fellowship, forgiveness and alms-giving.

The day begins with fasting and ends with a light repast. The faithful are required to refrain from eating meat on this day. Self-sacrifice and penance are also important practices followed by the Christians during Lent.