This spiritual reflection is inspired by Psalm 8.1-9:

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and avenger.
When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
What is man that you are mindful of him, mortal human beings that you care for them.
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

This beautiful psalm is a constant reminder of the unique glory God has bestowed on us as the crown of creation. Think of this for a moment, “We are little less than the Angels who are pure spirits. We have innate dominion over all creation on earth”. We have been given the gift of power to make or to mar, to co-create and recreate or diminish and annihilate, hence biologists describe us as the apex predator.

Think of the greatest things that has happened to you in your life, was it not as a result of a human action? A kind word, an uplighting gesture, a deliberate action to edify you, a warm embrace. It wasn’t the changings of times and seasons or your possessions, but the activities of human beings full of power and purposely placed in your life by God to bless and nurture you. I imagine that the reverse is the case. The most crushing and painful moments of our lives are brought about by the activities of human beings full of power – hurtful words, cold attitude, indifference, wicked actions etc. It is not a mistake that kills us, but what the world full of powerful men and women say and do to us as a result of the mistake.
Why would God give us power that could be used for unbridled annihilation?

I would say, He trusts us – He literally breathed His spirit upon us so that we can have His life (Genesis 2.7). He equally gave us a conscience –He own gentle small voice to help us wield our powers well. In His wisdom, Jesus formed the Church and provided us the template for Lent (Matthew 4.1-2). Thus, lent is the season when we are to consciously work on our consciences in order to guarantee that we are powerful the way God intends. It is a season of intentional conscience formation. Inability to do so naturally leads us to grow in being heralds of evil and sadness.

Let us ask ourselves: “Which of my powers has brought more harm than good?” “Can I do something about it?”. Let us enter the wilderness with Jesus, spring clean our minds, and come out more thankful, meek, humble and gentle.

_Fr Kelvin Spiritual Advisor 
St Michael Conference