As Christians we can tend to over spiritualise the life of Jesus and forget that he lived at a particular time in history. Joan Le Morvan, the founder of the Catholic Bible School, in "Passover in Jerusalem", looks at this and throws up some fascinating insights that help to bring alive the political and social context in which Jesus lived.

Although on one level his crucifixion was a tragedy, and the result of intrigue and betrayal, it was also part of God's plan of salvation for human kind. Fr Tadeusz Dajczer, the founder of the Families of Nazareth, one of the new movements in the Church, in "Faith Changes Everything" encourages us to look beyond the surface of our lives and see God's presence in everything that happens, good or bad, working for our salvation. This can be very difficult to do, particularly in the face of great pain and Fr Chris Thomas, on the Agape page, looks at the problem of suffering and the Christian response. Fr John Desmond, was abused as a teenager. Over the years, however, he found great consolation in some of the psalms of lament and anger in the bible, which helped him to be able to bring his negative feelings to God. Catherine McLoughlin recommends his book "My One Friend is Darkness".

It can be very difficult for married couples, if one partner suddenly becomes renewed in their faith and the other one doesn't. Fr Pat Collins looks at this situation and gives some advice. Sr Clare Moriey, a Benedictine sister from Kylemore Abbey in Ireland, recommends, in this year of the Eucharist, a return to the practice of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and daily Mass, as an effective way to get strength to cope with the pressures and trials of life. Charles Whitehead, too, recommends that those who feel they are not getting enough spiritual nourishment in their lives, return to the traditional wells of the Church - the Bible and Eucharist - for spiritual food.

With less vocations to the priesthood, lay people will in the future, need to take more responsibility for parish life. Anne Lee lives in Malaysia, where their 2000 strong community has no resident priest. She shares her experiences of her Basic Ecclesial Community and how this operates and helps provide support and leadership for the parish. Joanna Gilbert, a young leader from the Lay Community of St Benedict, shares her reflections on what she feels the teaching and wisdom of St Benedict has to offer young people today in her article "Making God Visible".

Another way in which the Lord makes himself visible is through signs and wonders. Damian Stayne, who devised the very popular charism schools to teach people about the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, urges us to grow in faith and expectation, so that signs and wonders would be more common in our proclamation of the gospel. One man who certainly has the gift of faith is Eddie Stones from Galway. A former butcher he is now based at Clonfert, the site of the once famous monastery of St Brendan. In "Meadow of Miracles" he tells his own story and that of Michael Cullen, two men whom the Holy Spirit has used to bring alive the ancient site of prayer. Another ancient place of pilgrimage is Lough Derg and Sr Ursula Sharpe, who is a contributor in this year's CAFOD Lent Book, reflects on her experience there and the power of penance in a world focused on comfort.

Meanwhile on the news pages we are reminded about World Youth Day which is coming up and the different communities and groups who are taking young people there. Young people are also taking the lead, it seems, in other initiatives including praying for London, and there are reports of two recent events by Jesus Youth, a youth movement from India and one by the Fraternity of Jesus, an Italian community. In Scotland too, a group has been led to pray for the upcoming G8 summit at Gleneagles this summer.

In these uncertain times when it is often difficult to know what to do, it is more important than ever to pray and fast, so that when God speaks to us, be it through events or revelation, we will be open to Him and be able to discern what He is asking of us. It would be a tragedy if instead of being a people of faith we are a people so addicted to our own comforts, spending so much time watching television or in other distractions, that like the Jews of Jesus' time, we miss the time of our visitation! Lent, however, is the perfect time to set things right and repent, which just means change direction. So let's let go of all those things in our life that are stopping us from hearing God and have the best Lent ever!

Kristina Cooper