Malankara World Journal will publish a Special Issue (Issue 334) to commemorate the Mid Lent and to examine the significance of this feast.

From Mid Lent till Good Friday, Jesus Christ, symbolized by the cross, is with us. He is not in the sanctuary; but is in the middle of us. On Good Friday, Jesus will undergo the passion and will be buried. He will rise up on Easter Sunday; then will be in the sanctuary (Jesus didn't do any public ministry after Easter Sunday; he appeared to the disciples. He will ascend to heaven on May 5. As promised, he will send the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide on Pentecost day on May 15, precisely 10 days after his ascension to Heaven or 50 days after Easter Sunday.

The days after Mid lent are very fast moving and meaningful events in the life of Jesus. We need to be prepared to participate in these events with prayer, fasting and supplication. Be with us, and we will explain the importance of these events so that we will be well prepared.

If you were following the progress of Great Lent with us, reading and meditating on the daily lessons we have prepared for you, and following the important events in the life of Jesus from The annunciation onwards in our Special Lent Meditation called 'In His Steps', you know that we recall one important miracle/sign performed by Jesus on each Sunday of the Great Lent. On February 28, 4th Sunday of Great Lent, we recall the incident of Jesus meeting the Canaanite woman who had come to plead the case of her sick child (intercession) with Jesus. This is a very important turn of event. The Canaanite woman, by her persistent pleading, has succeeded in changing the mind of Jesus and his ministry to Gentiles. It appears that Jesus' plan was to focus his ministry to the Israelites during his time on earth and expand the ministry to Gentiles after his death and resurrection by the disciples. The Canaanite woman won't take "no" for an answer and keep pleading Jesus for his blessing. She followed Jesus' instruction to the letter - persistency in prayer - and was rewarded positively by Jesus in answering her prayer.

Persistent prayer, genuine prayer accompanied by true repentance and fasting, has been shown to produce results. Yes, God does change His mind occasionally as He love. Example is Nineveh. Although God had decided to eradicate them out of the face of the earth due to their evil ways, their repentance, fasting and persistent prayer after listening to prophet Jonah has persuaded God to change His mind and save them instead.

There is a very valuable lesson we learn here. God may not answer our prayers immediately; but eventually will. In some cases, the answer may be 'no' because God thinks that is the best outcome. In some cases, the answer will be to wait. But in majority of cases, the answer will be 'yes'. We have to trust God to do the best for our lives. He will always answer our prayer. Our prayer should be, "Thy will be done." Remember, even Jesus, when praying to God in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayer, "Father, if it is your will, .." God's will was to answer His prayer as Jesus asked for, but to strengthen him to undergo the passion events, because that was Jesus' mission. Yes, God, knows what is best for our lives.

Sometimes, we may not get an immediate answer from God for our prayer. In Isaiah 58:3, prophet Isaiah puts this question to God:

"Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?"
(Is 58:3).

According to Father Mark from Ireland, the problem lies not in God seeing (or hearing our prayers), nor in God failing to notice it. The problem lies in our fasting. The fasting pleasing to God is incompatible with quarreling, with oppression, greediness, and complacency. Holy fasting is incompatible with "the pointing of the finger, and speaking of wickedness" (Is 58:9).

Saint Benedict says that we are "to love fasting" (RB 4:13). How can we begin to love fasting? How do we fast? Fasting and abstinence are, first of all, about training the will to seek the "things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" (Col 3:1). "Set your mind on the things that are above," says the Apostle, "not on things that are on earth" (Col 3:2).

So, if you do not feel God is answering your prayers or fasting, take a closer examination of what you are doing. Meditate on them and continue your prayer and fasting till your prayers are answered. As Fr. Mark explains, there are more to prayer and fasting than just limiting our food intake. We need to change our lives and be transformed. You can learn more about this in the articles in today's Journal, in the past issues of the Journal cited, as well as in the Lent Supplement we have prepared for you in Malankara World.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV