Every year, the Season of Lent (my most favorite season of the Catholic Liturgical Year) gives all faithful Catholics a special time of penitence and conversion; suffering and healing; sacrifice and grace. It is when the sorrow and grief in remembering Our Lord’s Passion ultimately brings us to the glory of Christ in His Resurrection. But some of you may only see the gloom in Lent and the burden of its practices like fasting. It almost feels like Lent is a “burden” to be endured. If you ever feel this way, then how do you better approach this season to be able to embrace all of its misery and glory, and make your spiritual life grow?
For most of us Catholics, we already know that Lent is a forty-day period of preparation with traditional solemn practices to be observed- abstaining from meat, denying oneself of a certain favorite, almsgiving, and devoting one’s time for more prayer, visiting Churches, and praying more devotions like the Stations of the Cross. But some Catholics go through Lent as if they go through an ordeal. If you seem to dread these and only think of Lent as something to be endured, then you somehow limit yourself in fully receiving all the graces that come with it. However, when you are open to everything that needs to be done in anticipation of the joy and wonder that is to come on Easter, then you see the true meaning in it and bear all things with love, patience and faith.
Those practices which are self-denial and sacrificial are not done just for religiosity. You observe those religious practices because more than being “religious,” you commit yourself to God with self-discipline for the repentance of your sins, and for your conversion back to God if you have gone astray in the last year. It is like giving your whole heart to God as a come back to loving Him fully again. The time during Lent for deeply looking into your life is spent to rekindle your faith and love for Jesus Christ, as He gives you a second chance to start afresh the relationship between you and Him. You carefully examine your life if your desires, wants, and plans are according to God’s Will.
More than the gloom or sadness when going through Lent, you should remember the following light it brings to your life as a Catholic:
1. Realize it this way – Lent gives focus on our thoughts.
Most of the time, our minds wander through a lot of things or worries that all the goodness of what the Lord gives us, spiritual, and even temporal, gets overshadowed by all the noise in our life. Refraining from some social activity, or cutting back a meal can be a symbolic demonstration of a lack or emptiness for you to better see the few people and things in your life journey that truly fulfill you. Jesus Himself walked the path of His Cross with only a few faithful disciples who stood by Him and nothing else but Divine Love for mankind, extraordinary selfless sacrifice, and unparalleled faith in the Heavenly Father. You can only follow the path of Christ if you are focused on what truly matters in your life. Make use of this time of Lent to reflect on this, and you will be filled with the grace of Lent.
Personally, I reflect with the one I love, who is also my best friend. My family and I also think deeply of the ways by which we can amend our life together to be more pleasing in the eyes of God.
2. Remind yourself that the silence or sadness of Lent does not seek to take away the happiness but to help us experience deeper joy in being one with God.
You know how very refreshing it is to quench our thirst with cold water after a hot day. Oh how we sometimes forget to appreciate the grace of receiving Christ in the Sacrament to cover us with His Holy Body and Blood! Lent is a time to help us to be focused more on feeling grateful of how in this season Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and the events surrounding it lead up to the sacrifice of the Lord on the Cross in order for us to be saved. It is wonderful to contemplate that each time we receive Holy Communion, we Catholics participate in the everlasting sacrifice of Christ each Holy Mass.
Take note of the common misconception that Jesus continues to die physically over and over again during the Sacrifice of the Mass. No, Jesus does not die many times, as Jesus only sacrificed once. He only died once. However, the death of Jesus transcends time. It benefits those who have died before Good Friday and all who would live after it.
3. Use a different perspective in viewing Lent.
Initially, when you hear the word “Lent,” you may be fearful as if you’re being asked of “a very big sacrifice.” It is true that we sacrifice a lot of our personal satisfaction during this season like food and time. But after all, it is just almost 6 weeks of sacrifices. When you think of making an offering to the Lord, you’ll see that 6 weeks isn’t even enough, compared to all the graces and blessings that God gives us, despite our unworthiness. In reality, God calls us to take up our Crosses everyday as our share in His Passion, all weeks of the year. And if you’d only meditate on that, the sacrifices you make for Lent are just small expressions of your love for God. Sooner or later, you will find your heart wanting to give so much more to God in every way possible.
4. Pray for light from Our Blessed Mother Mary to prepare us for this season of Lent.
The Most Holy Mary followed her Son Jesus in His Passion not only as a sorrowful mother but as a faithful follower who did not only see all the sufferings and torments before Her, but also the promise of the Divine Plan of God. She suffered with Jesus in the salvific mission of Redemption. Always call on Our Lady and she will walk with you to enlighten you and guide your ways each day of this Lent as she did with Jesus.
Let us pray for each other this Lent, starting from Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday, that God transforms our lives as we prepare to celebrate the Risen Lord with much joy and love!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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