It’s Lent! My favorite liturgical season! Except that it feels like Lent never ended last year and we are now on Day 358 of it. However, I have learned many spiritual lessons since last February and I am sure you did too. We have practiced the virtues of patience, tenacity, surrender, hope, detachment, and many more; and that was just learning how to sign in and navigate Zoom! And so here we are again, ready to begin a deeper trek into the desert.
Lent is always exciting for the first few days. I have my
checklist ready, full of spiritual books to be read, vegetarian meals to cook,
prayer schedules to adhere to, and deserving charities that will receive a
donation.
You know what – I’m throwing that list out.
I’m not getting closer to heaven by performing good deeds. Yes,
it’s good to turn off all my devices so I can read worthy material. Yes, I need
to obey Church precepts regarding fasting and abstinence. Yes, I need to pray
daily and praise and worship the Lord. Yes, I need to assist the poor financially.
But there’s more to Lent.
Lent is about making room for God and letting him change us
and heal us. He can’t make us do anything, he will never force us, but if we
make an effort to remove the obstacles that we put in his way, we will receive
his grace.
When I was praying at church on Tuesday, I told God that I
wanted whatever he wanted for me during Lent. I’m not sure I convinced either
of us. Do I not trust him? This led to
memories of the many times my plans crashed and burned, but I realized that
most of the time I had rushed into things and only then did I pray that God would
bless and crown my plans.
So, this Lent I am asking God for the virtues of prudence
and self-restraint. These qualities are totally opposed to my natural instincts
but I’m also asking for a boatload of grace and trust. I know he will deliver.
What are you asking God for this year?
No comments:
Post a Comment