Lent! That wonderful time of the year where we all look forward to giving up things – things like work, school, winter, snow, trans fats, and the like. OK, so perhaps that’s not exactly what Lent is about.
Lent is a period of 40 days and nights before Easter which models the Bible where Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in preparation for His ministry. During this time, He ate nothing, prayed a lot, and was tempted by the Devil. Then, He returned in great power and would change the world. Everywhere He went, Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, and the diseased; He forgave sins, cast out demons, and rose people from the dead.
In the Catholic Church, Lent is a sort of desert experience where we pause to reflect on lives and our relationship with God. Just as baseball players have spring training to prepare them for the actual baseball season, so Lent is a spring training of sorts where we get our lives back on track with God or dive even deeper.
Lent helps us to live with the end more in view. For example, what if you found out that you only had a few hours to live, would you be ready? Stop to think about that for a minute. what if you had to leave all of your friends behind, your family, hobbies, jobs, and the like?
Since we know not the day or hour of our death, we live every day as if it’s our last. If you feel you would not be ready, what changes would you make to your life before Judgment Day arrives? Would you pray more? Go to confession? Make amends with someone? Forgive someone? Stop this particular sin or that particular fault that you know is wrong?
Lent is a time to take a hard look at our habits, our sins, and our imperfections, and our strengths to see what we are doing well and what we need to work on. It’s also a time to grow in love and charity. Lent should prepare us for heaven, help us to come closer to God, and help us to be a better person by the end of the 40 days. That is why that Church calls us to pray more, to fast, to give alms, and to work on some aspect of our life.
What to Give Up for Lent
Some people treat Lent as a New Year’s resolution, giving up unhealthy food, or going to the gym more, etc. Many others give up the usual candy, soda, junk food, coffee, sweets, etc.
Whatever we give up should be a sacrifice. However, it should also be done out of love for God. Consider the following: Since we are called to become holier, giving up soda or candy, for example, is OK, but God would rather us give up gossip than soda or our temper rather than candy. He would rather us work hard on giving up lust, or some addiction, rather than coffee, or to have a daily prayer life (if we don’t already) rather than giving up a TV show.
Ideally, we should do both! So, choose one thing to give up. And, choose one sin or imperfection of your choice to work on. You may choose to work on being more patient, or less irritable, or to stop gossiping, or to forgive someone, etc. You may choose to pray more every day. You could also pray a daily Rosary, take time for reading the Bible, take daily quiet time with God, etc. Whatever is going to help bring you closer to God, make more room in your heart for Him, and prepare your soul for heaven!
While it should be a sacrifice, strive to make it attainable! If you are like me, you get frustrated when you fail in your promise. Keep trying and never give up! I constantly remind myself that I have 40 days to work on my Lenten promise and become better. I don’t have to become perfect overnight. In the end, it’s all about love for God.
Remember, Jesus was severely beaten; He had His skin ripped off, thorns through His skull, and 6-8 inch railroad spikes through His wrists. Then, He hung on the cross bleeding out of every pore for three hours to pay the price for all of our sins. Jesus gave us everything He had out of love for us and held absolutely nothing back. What can we do for Him in return this Lent?
Remember, the cross is not the end. Jesus rose in power and now reigns forever in great glory. Lent is a time to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and death and to share in that sacrifice in some small way out of love for Him. Then, Easter arrives and reminds us of the good news that Jesus conquered all suffering and death forever, and that we, His sons and daughters, are called to share in His resurrection and have everlasting life!
