Why do we need a pre-lent period? Well, if you’re anything like me, some of your past Lenten experiences may have gone like this:
Oh wow, it’s Fat Tuesday, I’d better think about what I’m doing for Lent, but since today is a celebration, I think I’ll just enjoy myself and think about the difficult stuff later. Along comes Ash Wednesday, and then I realize that I haven’t set a resolution yet. Ok, it’s Lent now, and I don’t have much time to figure it out so I’m going to give up coffee. I love coffee, and Lent is supposed to be a time for penance so that seems like a good plan. It’s three days into Lent, and I’m miserable. I realize that I bit off more than I can chew, and I have a cup of coffee. I’m ashamed that I couldn’t follow through on my Lenten promise, and I carry this regret through the rest of the season.
One of the remedies to a “failed” Lent, such as the one I just described, is proper planning. The beauty of the pre-lent season is that it gives us the time to reflect on what God is calling us to do during Lent. The season of Lent is a time of penance, but it is also a season of renewal.
Consider a tree that has weathered storms and disease. Some of its branches are soft and rotten. The entire tree may need to be cut down unless these branches are removed. So, the dead branches are carefully removed. Removing the branches is not enough though. To flourish, the tree’s roots need to be treated with fertilizer. Rain and sunshine sustain the tree. New shoots of green branches gradually spring fourth from the areas where the dead branches once hung.
Our experience during Lent is not much different than that of the withered tree. Sin wears down our souls. Depending on our sacramental life, our sin may have even caused part of our soul to die. There is a process involved with healing the brokenness of sin.
First, we work to remove our attachment to sin by cutting out harmful habits from our lives. This penitential process is directed by our Lord who said, “And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell”(1). We mortify our bodies in order to remove the parts of us that are dead, withered, and that lead us into sin.
Next, we must turn to God. Our loving Father seeks to be united with us. He loves us deeply, even in our sin. However, this sin keeps us from truly uniting ourselves with God as we have chosen to turn our souls from Him. Mortification works to reorient our souls to God. Prayer is what begins to heal us.
Mortification and union with God are two of the most powerful weapons in our journey to find healing from sin. When the disciples failed to cast out a powerful demon from a man’s son, Jesus reminded them of the power of these two practices: “this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting”(2). Fasting smolders the fire of sin that rages in us. Prayer clears away the rubble and prepares the charred ground to receive new life. Without these powerful remedies, sin rages within us and consumes our souls.
When the fires of sin are extinguished by prayer and fasting, Our hearts are open to the nourishment of God’s presence. The Psalms tell us of how God cares for us: “Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it. The river of God is filled with water, thou hast prepared their food: for so is its preparation. Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers. Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of thy goodness: and thy fields shall be filled with plenty”(3).
The process of regeneration concludes with the birth of new life. Nourished by the love of the Father, our lives bear fruit. As sin is conquered and we turn to God in prayer, His love begins to grow within our hearts. The natural consequence of God’s love dwelling within us is to reflect this love outward towards others: “Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house”(4). Charity is the fruit that is borne from prayer and fasting.
Another word for charity is alms. Filled with God’s love, the joy of His presence manifests itself in good deeds towards others. We show our love for others because they are loved by God. This love can take on many forms. When most of us hear the word almsgiving, we may be inclined to cover our wallets. Donating money may be an appropriate way of showing forth the new life within us. We may also consider asking the Holy Spirit how He wants us to share the joy of His presence with others. He might ask us to show mercy to a difficult coworker, to listen to our wives with more attention and concern, or to simply spend more time playing with our kids.
Wherever the Spirit leads us this Lent, we can be assured that He will provide us with what we need when we need it: “And God is able to make all grace abound in you; that ye always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work”(5). Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are able to weaken the bonds of sin, unite our will with God’s, and become a witness to God’s boundless love. While it’s easy to pick one of these areas to focus on during lent, consider what would happen to the tree if we only removed the dead branches: will new growth occur if it doesn’t receive the nutrients that it needs to flourish? Does the tree hide this new growth, or do the humble fresh shoots show forth for the passersby to see?
Below are a few ideas for us as we prepare for Lent. Before we begin to discern what God is calling us to do this Lent, let’s remember that all of our efforts will be in vain unless we’re in a state of grace. Regardless of our plans for Lent, we should enter this season in the state of grace by making a good confession.
Prayer
- Do you pray every day? If not, set aside 15 minutes a day to grow close to our Lord in mental prayer. spend 15 minutes performing metal prayer. If you already perform mental prayer every day, then consider adding 10 minutes to each session.
- Do you attend Holy Mass outside of your Sunday obligation? If not, go to one Mass a week in addition to Sunday Mass. If you already attend one additional Mass each week, then consider attending another.
- Do you spend some time reading a good spiritual book each day? If not, spend at least 15 minutes each day reading a good spiritual book. If you already spend at least 15 minutes a day reading a good spiritual book, then add an additional 10 minutes of spiritual reading.
- Do you pray the Rosary every day? If not, then pray the Rosary (5 mysteries) every day. If you already pray 5 mysteries of the Rosary every day, then consider praying an entire Rosary every day (15 mysteries).
- Do you spend time with our Lord each day? If not, then spend 15 minutes in Eucharistic adoration or in front of a tabernacle. If you already spend at least 15 minutes with our Lord, each day, then consider adding another 10 minutes to each visit.
- What is your principal vice (i.e. the sin that you struggle with most often)? Review the vices below and consider how you may practice the contrary virtue.
- Pride - Humility
- Anger - Gentleness
- Lust - Chastity
- Gluttony - Temperance
- Avarice - Generosity
- Sloth - Diligence
- Eat less than you want at one meal each day or at every meal
- Don’t hit the snooze button
- Give up alcohol
- Take cold showers
- Give up sweets
- Give up meat
- Give up snacking
- Give up television
- Give up social media
- Give up watching reading, or listening to the news
- Drive to and/or from work in silence
Almsgiving
- Spend time each day asking your wife about her day
- Dance with your wife
- Spend time each day asking your kids about their days
- Play with your kids
- Give 15 additional dollars each month to your parish
- Give 15 additional dollars each month to the poor
- Visit your mom and dad
- Visit your grandma or grandpa
- Visit a friend who you haven’t seen in a while
- Start a conversation with someone at work who you find difficult to deal with
- Volunteer at a charitable organization
(1) Matthew 5:30
(2) Matthew 17:20
(3) Psalm 69:9-11
(4) Matthew 5:15
(5) 2 Corinthians 9:8
Image:
Felling a tree in the Vosges by Alfred Munnings (1918). Accessed via Books and Boots: reflections on books and art (https://astrofella.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/alfred-munnings-war-artist-army-museum/)
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