WHAT ARE YOU GIVING UP FOR LENT?

This Ash Wednesday morning my mother asked me a question. A question I’ve been asked every year during Lent, what are you going to give up for Lent? However, this time, I found myself pausing because it puzzled me. I found myself feeling agitated by the question because If I truly live a Christian life (which I try very hard to do) why would I give something up if I give things up all the time? I mean Love is sacrifice, right?

In my mind, it isn’t about giving something up anymore. It’s about questioning, reflecting, and adding things to my life. Taking bold action for what isn’t working, to work. We grow in stages and sometimes the things that used to work stop working. They stop working because they are no longer meant for us. It’s pruning time.

One of the great things about Lent is it forces us into a reset. I mean haven’t you ever wanted a do-over? If we look to Jesus as our example we see that before he shifted gears and started a new career from carpenter to teacher/rabbi, and so much more. He went off into the desert for 40 days to reevaluate his life and grow clarity of vision. He used His time reflecting, fasting, and meditating on how He was going to align Himself to God. After the forty days, what was the first thing He did? He began His new life and ministry.

The church is so smart because it knows that Lent is the perfect time for us to do the same. It gives us the same forty days to dig deep into our souls in humility and ask ourselves tough questions. Questions like,

What is in my life that shouldn’t be in it?

What am I doing that isn’t working?

What is God asking me to prune in my spiritual life?

What relationships do I need to mend? Who do I need to forgive? How is God challenging me to reach out to them to heal what was broken?

How will I go about nurturing new relationships?

How can I use this time of Lent to grow closer to God?

Am I being charitable with my time, with my finances, with my presence?

Secular Franciscans call this type of self-reflection, conversion, because; it stirs the flame that brings us to action; action to change our circumstances, come clean, and grow closer to God.

We may find ourselves during this time praying to God for clarity. God, what is your vision for my life and set me back on the right path. Help me to focus my vision so I can take action courageously, one small step at a time.

Did you know that when we step out of our comfort zone and take action, we kill our anxieties? It no longer has a hold on us. Fear is afraid of action. It doesn’t want you to face it. It wants to force you to hide and stay hidden. It will deprive you of all that God has waiting for you.

This is why we need to purify our lives from what is keeping us from God’s fulfillment. What are we afraid of losing? Is it more important to us than God? Believe it or not, our fears can take priority.

How will you spend these forty days of Lent? Will you be giving something up or will you be soul searching for something deeper? I remember a priest giving me penance for my sins and it was the most unusual penance I’ve ever been given. He said, “God wants to love you in so many ways. Your penance is to let God love you.”