A NEW FACE LIFT TO OUR FAITH

EASTER SUNDAY 2021

These past years, I have been driving to Batu Caves using Jalan Sentul - Jalan Batu Muda passing by Maxim and Sentul Point condominiums. Only last week, I have discovered something fascinating – as normally, I don’t t prefer using this road as there are almost 7 traffic lights and a lot of constructions of buildings and road works are progressing. Furthermore, there isn’t anything attractive to drive through.

Photo by SIVAKUMAR
from DBKL's FACEBOOK

As I was driving through last week one early morning, I was really captured and amazed looking at the Tecoma trees on both sides of the road with beautiful colours of blossom of pink and white flowers. A friend of mine, sent some photos of the view Tecome trees at Jalan Batu Muda roused up my interest to find out more about Tecoma Trees on google this morning.  Only to find out that, there are actually 10,030 Tecoma Trees planted by DBKL all over Kuala Lumpur City itself according to a DBKL’s post on Facebook. I like their title of the article - “Tak Perlu Terbang Jauh Untuk Melihat Keindahan,” (You no need to fly far to admire the beauty), because this is absolutely true!

 

In fact it is true. The plants are marvellous. For once I felt as though I was in overseas, with the petals opened in full blossom and it was really like spring season, and it’s in Malaysia!  Since then, I purposely drive down this road, just to admire the beautiful flowers blooming along the way to Batu Caves and few others roads in KL City. These Tecoma trees have given a new face lift to our city.

 

As I was admiring these amazing blooms, it led to my mind floating to ending my Lent and welcoming Easter. The 6-week preparation of Lent has brought us to an inner renewal. It was a journey and an experience of dying the old life and finding new life, a better future existence and purposes. We have definitely faced a lot of temptations and trials more especially during this Lent, and we have been unfaithful to God, in our many individualistic ways.

 

Now, Easter has arrived. We can see that our hearts are waiting, just waiting to bloom like the Tecoma flowers, from the darkest of days to the brightest of hearts, seeing that Jesus has resurrected within our lives. Jesus has rolled away the big boulders of our hearts, from the grave of sins and He has resurrected in us. Today, our Easter celebration has brought us a new face lift to our faith, newness to our spirits in us.

 

One of the important rites of Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday is the renewal of our baptismal promises. Under the baptismal rites, firstly, the Church asks to “renounce” three times the works of Satan and all his empty promises. Secondly, we will be invited to “Profess” three times our faith in One God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and One, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic Church and her teachings. We give our total conviction to Our Jesus by finally saying “I do”.

Let us not give empty promises to the Risen Lord but answer honestly and convincingly “I do” from the bottom of our hearts. Yes! From today onwards, we are not going to entertain the works of Satan and all his tricks but we will stand firm and hold on to our faith in the Risen Lord, who is our Promising One.

 

Let our Easter Faith and a new life, a new beginnings will blossom from now on in our lives. Jesus is alive, our Church is alive and our faith is alive. Together we commit ourselves to reject sin and profess our faith. We pray for the grace and strength to carry our promises in our lives and keep them closer in our hearts.