By Ms Juliana John for BIS Mumbai

The Lenten mission is one of the mainstays of the Lenten season, offering the parishioners an opportunity to reflect, repent, and renew their relationship with God. It serves as a spiritual pathway for believers to examine their hearts and turn back to God.

 At Don Bosco Nashik, it has been a long-standing tradition to invite priests from different places and congregations to conduct retreats and guide the parish community during the sacred season of Lent. This year, the parish was fortunate to have a young and enthusiastic priest, Fr Leon Rodrigues sdb, who readily offered to lead the Lenten Retreat. The retreat was conducted on March 8, 2026. It began at 6 p.m. with the parishioners gathering in hopeful anticipation of spiritual renewal. And sure enough, we were not disappointed as Fr Rodrigues delivered a deeply inspiring and thought-provoking reflection.

 The theme of the Lenten retreat was ‘Accepting our Cross as our Life’s mission.' The Gospel reading for the evening was taken from Matthew 12:38-42, which speaks about the sign of Jonah. Fr Rodrigues skillfully explained the story of the Prophet from the book of Jonah, blending scholarly insights with scripture with clear and relatable explanations. His engaging style, along with a few witty episodes, brought smiles to the congregation while keeping them attentive to the deeper message of the talk.

 Through the story of Jonah, Fr Rodrigues highlighted the importance of accepting the challenges of the crosses that come our way in life. He reminded the faithful that we are a ‘Resurrection people’. Our faith does not end with suffering, the Passion, or the Cross, but moves through these realities towards the glory of the Resurrection. He emphasized that if we wish to experience the resurrection in our lives, we must first be willing to carry our ‘crosses’ with faith and perseverance.

 He also shared his personal experience of the cross he had to carry while he was studying for his PhD in Rome. Being in a foreign land without friends or family or knowledge of the local language was a deeply challenging time for him. Yet, he embraced his cross with faith in God, believing that perseverance would eventually lead him to new life and growth. His testimony was both inspiring and deeply moving.

 Fr Rodrigues concluded his reflection with a touching poem describing the poet’s encounter with the Crucified Saviour, who, despite rejection from the poet, loves him. The poet, out of pity, wanted to free this ‘Crucified One’ from the cross. Instead, the ‘Crucified One’ beckons him to take up his cross and follow him.

 The talk was followed by adoration. The retreat then culminated with the Holy Eucharist. The Lenten mission proved to be spiritually enriching, helping the parishioners to focus their hearts and minds to renewal during the season of Lent. Fr Pannasingh expressed his gratitude to Fr Rodrigues on behalf of the parishioners, and Fr Rodrigues graciously accepted the appreciation. As the congregation left the church, many were seen quietly reflecting on the different ‘crosses’ they carry and how these could lead them forward towards the joy of the Resurrection.