Will it be ashes or roses on Valentine’s Day?
Hey peeps, unnu realise seh holiday a go buck up pon holiday this year? Yeah man, next week Wednesday will be the first time I ever witness the phenomenon of us marking both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday on the same day. Then, approximately 40 days after that, on Sunday, April 1, we will see Easter Sunday and April Fool’s Day happening at the same time. That means holiness and reverence will very likely be competing for space with silly gags and absurdity.
So we may very well see people walking around next week Wednesday with ashes pon dem forehead and a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolate inna dem hand. And instead of wishing you a blessed Easter this year, some folks may choose to play a good practical joke on you.
Generally speaking, women tend to look forward to Valentine’s Day, which is usually marked with affectionate gift giving and expressions of love. It’s the day when chocolate and flowers sell off. And many a man gleefully await this day because it often means a great increase in the chances of getting ‘physically romantic’ with that special lady.
Ash Wednesday, on the other hand, is observed by many Christians as a holy day; the beginning of Lent. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil. And Lent originated as a way of that experience. People, therefore, use the period to reaffirm their faith and strengthen their resistance to sin by abstaining from some pleasurable indulgences.
Look here nuh, I don’t want to sound like I’m preaching, but I’m thinking that maybe the signs of the time could be telling us that this year is the year to take a small break from things of the flesh and give God the Valentine’s Day gift. Wha yu say?
Probably this is a chance to save some of that money we would spend on gifts and invest some attention to things of the spirit. Or maybe the message is that instead of gloomy, mournful focus on the suffering and crucifixion of Christ this Easter, we should buss a big laugh and play a proper April Fool’s prank pon di bwoy Satan by celebrating the joy of resurrection.
What you plan to do? Will you choose one or the other, or both?
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