Lent Choices

 Lent, the period of preparation for Easter has started.  During Lent, many people choose to quit or forgo something. A lot of the choices involve avoiding certain foods.  In the Catholic tradition we have the generalized practice of not eating red meat on Fridays in Lent.  This is why the "Fish Fry" signs have gone up around every corner in towns all across America.  Others prefer to abstain from things like social media, using their phone in the evening, shopping for clothes, wearing high hills, you name it.  And also there are those who go the route of increasing their charitable giving and focusing on being more generous.

Lent has become the season to be creative with what you decide to do to commemorate the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross.  The experience usually is connected to giving something up or away...renouncing something...but why? I mean, it is not that we decide to stop eating chocolate and sweets because we need to lose weight.  That's not the spirit of the practice.  It involves a sacrifice, a giving up of something we are very fond of...and since most of us love food (me...more than many, probably), it feels fitting to abstain from certain choice foods as a symbol of the offering.  We also do this based on Jesus' 40-day period of fasting in the wilderness right before He began His earthly ministry.  We find these passages in 3 of the 4 gospels: Matthew 4: 1-11, Mark 1: 12-13 and Luke 4: 1-13.

This morning I heard a Priest give a very simple but I thought, profound recommendation regarding the emphasis on fasting during Lent. He said something like this (it was in Spanish, so I hope I am being an accurate translator here): "Fast or abstain from that which binds you, that which does not allow you to have your eyes fixed on eternity...that which distracts you and takes your eyes away from Jesus."  

I think those are very inspired words.  

I love chocolate and it would be a sacrifice not to eat it (especially with all the Easter candy out in the stores already)...but...I'm not sure if giving up chocolate will free me from the distractions and snares and ties that bind me to a world in which there is little room for all things spiritual... I'm not sure quitting candy for 40 days will help me turn my eyes towards My Lord and fix my sight on the face of Christ? I guess it would be a start. But I'm afraid I have to take more steps to accomplish something of more significance.

So, this afternoon, as I'm contemplating a long lists of work-related tasks and duties that I have to perform over the weekend...I think...I need to consider something that is more meaningful and valuable to me than desert. I'm going to take a look at how I spend my time. That is probably the most valuable thing I possess and it is in very short supply. What better than to give Him the best that I have to offer.  

May the Lord walk with us through the wilderness of this Lent so we can be attuned to who He is, what He has done, where He wants us to go and who He wants us to be so we can be ready for whatever ministry He may have waiting for us right ahead.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!