Scottish Catholic Observer

Fr Willy Slavin of St Simon’s, Partick, was invited to give the Ash Wednesday Time for Reflection at the Scottish Parliament today at 1.15pm.

He told MSPs: “Lent is another way of expressing the simple human truth: no pain, no gain.”

Fr Slavin (above) went on to say that today we are all invited to self-examination and that he hoped those observing Lent would have the support of the Parliament for the next 40 days.

Fr Slavin was ordained in the Scots College in Rome in 1964. He is currently chair of Emmaus Glasgow, which is the first Scottish Community of a movement which was started in 1948 in France by the Abbe Pierre. He also served 10 years as chaplain in Barlinnie Prison during which time he helped set up the Scottish Drugs Forum to deal with the problems which were then becoming prominent.

Read his reflection in full here:

On this day last year, Ash Wednesday 2010, Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States of America, took his weekly press conference with his forehead clearly daubed with ashes in the shape of a cross. Some approved, saying that it was good for a politician to be seen wearing even a semblance of sackcloth and ashes. Others disapproved, saying they would have liked some more convincing evidence of repentance from such a powerful person.

Of course it is not only politicians who feel that their dreams may have turned to ashes. All of us who have taken any part in public life hoped to achieve more than we have. But politicians have tried harder, or at least more publicly, than most of us. You may therefore feel your disappointments more acutely. Although not least of the crosses you have to bear is that you cannot confess a sense this lest an unforgiving media take advantage of you.

The 40 days of Lent which traditionally begin today are the preparation for Easter, from the old English Eostra. And to use the old English accent, as the days ‘lent-gthen’ we enjoy the growth of springtime. For Christians it is a time for a cultivation of mind, heart and neighbour by prayer, penance and almsgiving. Or, as we prefer to say nowadays: meditation, dieting and fundraising.

The advantage of these contemporary terms is that they allow Christians to work in solidarity with all who take an interest in meditation, dieting and fundraising. There are many in our country who want to save the world by committing themselves to such disciplines of mind, body and community.

What’s in it for politicians? In response to the current financial insecurity many of you have spoken publicly of the need to resurrect certain values that are needed for human growth. Things like worklessness, obesity, never—mind the other person attitudes are not what we think of as Scottish. Nor are they likely to be cured by a secret genie or an undiscovered gene.

Lent is another way of expressing the simple human truth: no pain, no gain. Christians do not think of the Cross as the end. We look forward to Easter. But today we are invited to self-examination. Then to accept the challenge to do what we can to change ourselves that we might become more fit to change the world. I hope we have your support for the next 40 days.