Lent is described as a time of preparation and an opportunity to go further with God. On February 25, 2023, we did just that with a first-ever Lenten concert in our parish. Open Secret, a Christian Rock, and Worship Band, performed 'The Last Words', the first in the band's series of Lenten concerts.
The event began at around 7.30 pm, with an introduction of the band and its members. Without further ado, the quintet began creating magic on the school grounds through harmony and music. Through melodic lines, the lead vocalist, Macklin Lacerda, steered us into worship and prayer. Meditating on Jesus' Seven Last Words, not only through music but also through the titbits shared, provided us with an understanding of how Jesus felt when he died for our sins.
The concert was a perfect blend of reverence, introspection, quiet reflection, and meditation on God's Word, with intelligent humour thrown in at just the right moments. Our hearts were raised into God's joyful presence and peace, and we became a channel for God's power to operate in one's circumstances.
At the end of the concert Fr. Nelson Saldanha beautifully emphasised the power of praise and worship, further elaborating on Jesus' promise of reclamation, revival and redemption stating that the concert is not a show, not a performance…but a feeling, an experience, 'ek Anubhav' that touches your life deep within.
At around 10 pm this spiritual experience that added to the season's solemnity came to an end. It was a great beginning to a spiritual and blessed Lenten season.