As many of us know, this week we begin the season of Lent. It is a serious time in which we prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter. Our Church asks us to do three things during this period: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.
Prayer: We hear so many people share what they will “give up” for lent. They share a sacrifice they will make to God for this holy season, like no rice, no T.V., no facebook, no sodas, etc… However, Lent is also a time to “take-up” something for God. For instance, we can take up more time in prayer. One can recite the stations of the cross everyday or a couple times a week. Maybe we can go to daily mass or take up more time in spiritual reading, learning more about our faith. This Lenten Season, I will offer 3 different talks/reflections at St. Jude Parish. I know it’s always a sacrifice to make time for something, but if it improves our spiritual life, then why not? It can be a great way to grow in faith and knowledge of Jesus. Take up more in prayer and investing in faith. This Lent, maybe God is not calling you to “give up” but “take-up”.
Fasting/Abstinence. Another thing we do is to fast or abstain from foods. Our Church asks those from ages 18-59 in good health to fast only two days of the year, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. During Fridays of Lent, we are asked to abstain from eating meat. There are several reasons why we practice fasting and abstinence. One reason is to practice self-discipline. St. Paul in the Letter to the Corinthians described our bodies as “Temples of the Holy Spirit”. Therefore, we are called to live a life of temperance and self-control. To not overly indulge in the things of this world. Another reason we do fasting and abstinence is to learn dependence on God. lWhen Christ was tempted in the desert by the devil, he told him, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from God’s mouth”. Christ taught us to depend on God alone. When we refrain from our favorite foods or activities, we concretely make a sacrifice. We show that we can live without the worldly things, but we cannot live without God. Ultimately our lives depend on God’s providence.
Almsgiving. Lastly, our Church asks us to practice almsgiving or charity. In the gospel for Ash Wednesday Jesus says, “When you give alms..” He did not say “if you give”, but “when you give”. Our Lord asks us to be generous with our time, talents, and treasures especially to those less fortunate than us. During this Lenten season, we can ask ourselves, “How can I be more charitable? How can I be more Christ-like?” St. John of the Cross famously said, “In the evening of life, we will be judged on how we loved” Some ways we can practice charity is to not gossip or cheat. We donate what we can and give to the less fortunate. Despite the busyness of life we make more time to spend with those whom we love. To forgive enemies and let go of grudges. The list of practicing Charity can go on. May Lent truly be a time of growth in faith and charity. Have a wonderful and blessed Lent!