Lent 2015

Here we are again at Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This journey happens every year around this time and yet some of us are surprised that it has arrived so quickly. This is the day we receive ashes to remind us that we need to turn away from sin and live the Gospel, or that we were dust and unto dust we shall return. This morning at Mass Father talked about the three things we need to be aware of during our Lenten journey, prayer, fasting and almsgiving. When I was trying to decide what to post today for this 1st day of Lent I found some information on those 3 subjects and decided to add a few thoughts on them.

The first thing I discovered was that Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are called the “three pillars” of not only a Catholic life but of a Christian life. All three of these help us have a full and healthy life. Lent is the time we need to step back and look at how we are doing with these “pillars” can we do better are we spending more time on one and neglecting the others? By following these three disciplines we become stronger and better disciples of Jesus.

Prayer is having a conversation with God. We should be doing this daily, yet I can say that is a very hard thing to “fit” into the rest of the busyness of life. But, if we stop and think about it we can talk with God as we are getting out of bed each morning and as we lay down to sleep each night. If we do this the busyness in between will seem less hectic and our days will be filled with the joy of God rather than the temptations of the devil.

Fasting is denying ourselves of something, traditionally food. I can hear you now (yes I can) fasting is for crazy people it doesn’t have any relevance for the everyday life. Stop and think about it. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness to prepare himself for his life’s work. There are healthy ways to fast from not only food but other things that take over our lives and separate us from those we love. We can fast from unhealthy foods during Lent, as a child I gave up candy. That may seem a bit trite now, but if I look at what I eat on a daily basis there are things I could manage without and in their place eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Or maybe you are a healthy eater what else in your life might take you away from your family or friends? Too much time spent on social media, so connected to work through your smart phone you can’t leave it alone to have dinner with your children and/or spouse? Does the television or radio have to be on constantly for background noise? If you turned off the TV or radio for a half hour before bed you would have a perfect time to have those conversations with God.

Then there is the almsgiving, which means “sharing compassion.” This means we don’t just give things away we don’t need any longer but giving away things that we still may use if someone else is in need of it. A lot of time it means giving until it hurts. Giving until it hurts might not necessarily mean monetary giving, it could mean giving of precious time that we are all short of. By helping at Sojournor House or Beacon House when they need volunteers we would be taking away time spent on personal things and giving to those in need.

“St. Augustine said that fasting and almsgiving are the two ‘wings’ that help our prayers ‘fly to heaven’.” These three go together, they are the ways we ask God to help us get rid of the selfishness in our lives and help Christians live a full life.

(Take Me Home, Too ©1997, LTP)