Crazy as this may be, were are less than two weeks from the season of Lent kicking off with my favorite Ash Wednesday date, February 14th. There is something that strikes my fancy about the day of romance named for St. Valentine being the start of a season of penance in the desert on which we are reminded, “Remember, man, that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” That isn’t purely irony, either, though. Love always requires sacrifice and purification, so it is actually fitting to me that the two align. As we get ready to enter that season, though, I want to take some time for my annual reflection on the three key penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Please keep in mind, these are all from my perspective and where I’m at. These are not evaluations of anything else that anyone else is adopting or considering adopting for their own Lenten experience.
Prayer should be a part of my everyday life regardless of the season, and to an extent it is. In truth, though, this coming desert field trip couldn’t be timed better for me. I do pray, but my attention to prayer, my forms of prayer, and how much time I spend speaking to God versus listening to Him are all certainly ready for a bit of reflection and growth. I need to take some time alone, like Christ heading into the desert or up the mountain, away from the crowds to be with my God. I have gotten much better at sitting in silence with God than I used to be, but it still isn’t my first choice or a strong suit. It’s time for me to expand that exposure with a little more time in adoration and the Bible.
Fasting is the first thing that most people think of with Lent. Jesus went into the desert for 40 days, eating and drinking nothing. From childhood, I imitated that by giving up chocolate, soda, and other luxuries. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but these days I try to keep perspective a little more. I’m not going to “match” Christ. However, I do want to make sure that I give up something that I will feel. I haven’t decided exactly what it will be, but I’m trying to be intentional this year to leave no “substitute” options. For example, in years past, I have given up coffee, but then drank energy drinks or soda to get my caffeine fix. It was still a sacrifice and a fast, but if I leave myself a back door, I have a tendency to take it.
Last but certainly not least, almsgiving. Much like with prayer, charity is to be part of my daily reality, but in this season, there is a special opportunity to take my eyes off myself and see my brothers and sisters. I typically like to combine this with my fast by taking the money I would normally spend on whatever I am fasting from into a donation to some charitable organization. It becomes, then, at least an opportunity for a continued cutting back and giving in my daily realities as well into the Easter season.
It’s my hope that all of us will have a blessed, fruitful, and properly challenging Lenten season, filled with God’s consolations in the midst of life’s tribulations.