Lent in a leap year
A leap year is a calendar year that contains an additional day. The day is added in order to keep the calendar year synchronised with astronomical events.
Astronomical events do not repeat themselves in a whole number of days, thus calendars that have the same number of days in each year add an additional day to compensate for the change. Without the additional day, the year would drift over time and tracking changes in the year would gradually become difficult. Thus the added day serves as a reminder and takes effect every four years.
This year, Saturday the 29th of February constitutes this added day and makes this year a leap year. It is a special year since it only happens once after every four years.
People born on a leap year usually celebrate their birthday every end of February for the sake of determining their age, even though they were not born on any other day besides the 29th of February. This indeed makes them special, and wish them a blessed birthday this coming Saturday.
Since this year does not come every year, it is an opportunity for everyone to do something special. Everybody likes to feel special, and this is the year in which we can indulge in feeling special, for it is a special year.
Every event that presents itself, both the challenging and the comforting alike, can be seen in a different light, can be made to be special.
As we embark on a journey of Lent, it would not harm us if we saw this season in a different light, in a special light. Such a new light can give us the motivation we need to take bolder and brighter acts of prayer, fasting and service, can truly transform our lives for the better, and this is my wish for us all.
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