Reflections on Detaching from Sin and Attaching to God (Br Joseph Zhang)

Last Sunday I participated in the Way of the Cross conducted for the primary 4, 5, and 6 catechetic students. It was conducted at the parish hall. There were no kneelers. During the Way of the Cross, we needed to stand up and kneel down. Some of the primary students were not used to it. One vomited and another one’s nose began bleeding.


During the first few stations, I also felt the hardness of the floor and the pain on my knees. The more I put my attention on the pain of my knees the more I felt I cannot continue any more. Then I made a shift of mind. I no longer focused on the pain on my knees but on the words of each station and tried to imagine the pain of Jesus. With this shift of mind I no longer felt as much pain as at the beginning. And I finished the way of the Cross.

When I read the canticle of Daniel, I realized that that was what the three young men did when they were in the blazing furnace. They did not focus on the heat of the fire but on God.


Lent is a season that we are called to turn away from our sins. We have to admit that it is very difficult to turn away from them. While it is necessary for us to detach ourselves from sin, let us shift our focus on growing closer to Jesus. This is in accord with St. James’ teaching, “Be God’s true subjects; stand firm against the devil and he will run away from us; come close to God and he will come close to you.” (Jas 4:7) Trusting in God who is our savior, our helper, and our refuge (Ps 117), let us pray for the grace of making the twofold effort of detaching from sin and attaching to God in the season of Lent.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Samuel Lim on 09th Mar 2010.