Wednesday 22 February marked the beginning of the season of Lent that finishes Easter Weekend on Sunday 9 April. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.

Ash Wednesday emphasises two themes: our sinfulness before God and our human morality The service focuses on both themes, helping us to realise that both have been triumphed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

During some Ash Wednesday services, the minister will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers. The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and Christian worship. Historically, ashes signified purification and sorrow for sins.

Au via vakavinavinaka vua na Qase Levu vakacegu, ka cavuta vinaka toka o koya na kena bibi medau vakarautaki keda ka raici keda vinaka tale mada ena noda lakolako ni cola Kauvelatai.

Oqori kina au via kuria na nona vakanananu ena kena vakamacalataki na Siga Vukelulu ni Dravusa keina 40 na Siga ni Vakavakarau keina dikeva keda tale.

Ena Vukelulu 22nd ni Veveruweri na Siga Vukelulu ni Dravusa [Ash Wednesday] ena yabaki oqo sai tekivu ni ‘Lent’ se Lede na vosa ka vakayagataki vakalotu ena gauna ni kadre [spring se lent]; edau kila talega ni dau balavu na siga ka lekaleka na bogi ka mai vakatokai kina me (Lengthen). Sa ma vakayagataki tabakidua na ‘lent’ ena lotu ka ologi kina na kenai balebale ni 40 na siga [“Quadragesima” vakaLatini, 40 na siga ni lent].

Sa bibi na 40 na siga me vaka na uca ena waluvu, ena talanoa kei Noa, tiko ena ulunivanua kei na Kalou ko Mosese, me veivutuni ko Ninive vei Jona, vakarautaki koya enai tavi ni veiqaravi ko Jisu. Sa salavata kei na Yom Kappur ni Lotu Jiu ena Day of Atonement, na gauna ni lolo, masumasu, tusanaki ni noda valavala ca me rawa ni namaki kina na gauna vinaka.

Eda sa taurivaka na Lotu VaKarisito me gauna ni lolo, masumasu, wili Vola Tabu ka vakasamataka kina na rarawa, yaluma kei na mate nei Jisu mai na kauveilatai ena vuku ni nodai valavalaca. E so na Lotu Vakarisito sa cava na Lent ena Siga Lotulevu ni bera na Siga ni Mate, eso na Lotu ena Vakarauwai (Holy Saturday) ni oti na Siga ni Mate. E sega ni okati na Siga ni Turaga [Sundays] baleta ni siga ni marau, reki ka ni tucake kina ko Jisu mai na mate. E tiko e loma na Siga ni kena kacivaki na Lako mai nei Jisu [Annunciation of the Lord], oqo nai tukutuku matanidavui mai vei Agilosi Kaperieli ni sa ‘tina ni Kalou’ se tinai Jisu ko Meri [Luke 1:26-38]. Na veimatalotu vakarisito, sa dua na gauna ni solevu kei na vakananumi ni lesilesi ni Kalou vei Meri kei na nona ciqoma ko Meri me lako mai vua nai Vakabula kei vuravura. Namaka na veilesoni ena gauna bibi oqo ka na tekivu ena Siga Vukelulu ni Dravusa, ena kena lotu ena boro e yadremu na dravusa ka cavuti na vosa, “Ko sa buli mai na kuvu ni soso, ko na lesu tale ena kuvu ni soso” vakasamataka ko ya na nomu ka buli, yalani sa dodonu ga mo veivutuni ka veisautaka na bula ka vakabauta dina saga na Turaga ko Jisu me tui ni nomu bula; ko ya me dina na nomu lotu ka sega ni muri tu ga.

Me sobu tiko na nona veituberi na Kalou ko Jiova ena nona bula keina matavuvale. Emeni.