Appearances do not always appear to be true. What appears good in the beginning might really be bad. The proverb, “All that glitters is not gold”, very well applies to human life as well as material things. Simply because something is attractive or beautiful does not mean that thing is valuable.

Going by the appearances can be disastrous. In this world of deception and deceit, what is seen outwardly is not the reality. Often the charming appearances hide the evilness of the wicked. The good looking innocent people who are the perfect cheats of the day. We would come across people who are beautiful and attractive. They would speak so softly and behave very politely that we believe they are gentle. But in reality that might not be their true character. Similarly some people sound harsh and speak straight forward. By their behaviour alone we should not come to a conclusion that they are bad. Read more

It has been claimed that “Goa is a happening place” and we all know how much happens here. These days there have been celebrations for Christenings, First Holy Communion, confirmation, pre and post Weddings, Birthdays, Christmas, New Year and every other good and auspicious occasion, as they blend one into the other. We know how tiring these functions can get since they cannot be avoided for one reason or the other.

Ash Wednesday then, serves as a brake – a slowing down or stop on all the entertainment. As the imposition of the Ash on that day reminds us that ‘we are dust’, may the cross on our forehead serve to remind us to change our thoughts very firmly from what is of this world, to Jesus who died on that cross. May the cross of Ash draw us to look inward to the “ash” accumulated inside us, and use the Lenten season to “dust it off”. A simple beginning would be with prayer. Read more