Dr. Helen Titilola OLOJEDE

If you have been following this page closely, you will observe that up to three weeks before Lent commenced, we started reflecting on the three pillars of Lent, and this continued throughout Lent, in addition to discussing Pope Leo’s Lenten message. As we enter the final week of Lent, we find ourselves standing at a quiet and significant threshold. The journey that began on Ash Wednesday with its call to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving now draws us toward its deepest meaning. This is both a closing stretch of a liturgical season and an invitation to prepare our hearts for the sacred mystery of Holy Week.

Throughout Lent, we have been encouraged to turn inward, to examine our lives, and to return to God with sincerity. Yet this final week asks something more of us. It invites us to slow down, to become attentive, and to open ourselves more fully to the grace that God is offering. In a world that often urges haste and distraction, the Church gently calls us to stillness, to listen, to reflect, and to be present.

Holy Week is the heart of our Christian faith. In it, we do not simply remember events from the past; we are drawn into the living mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. As we prepare to enter this sacred time, we are invited to walk closely with the Lord, to accompany Him from the joy of Palm Sunday, through the intimacy of the Last Supper, into the silence of Good Friday, and ultimately to the hope of Easter morning. This final week of Lent is therefore a grace-filled opportunity. It is a time to deepen our prayer, perhaps by spending a few extra moments in quiet before the Blessed Sacrament or by reflecting more intentionally on the Scriptures. It is a time to renew our acts of charity, to forgive where we have held back, and to seek reconciliation where it is needed. Most importantly, it is a time to prepare our hearts, not outwardly, but inwardly, for the encounter that Holy Week offers.

Let us not rush through these days. Instead, let us embrace them with intention and openness. The Church walks this path together, and each of us is invited to take part fully. As we stand at the threshold of Holy Week, may we carry with us a spirit of humility, a readiness to listen, and a deep desire to encounter Christ more fully. For in the days ahead, we will witness once again the profound truth at the centre of our faith: that through love, sacrifice, and surrender, God brings forth new life.

Have a spirit-filled Holy Week.