Ah, Lent. The lovely time when we Catholics choose to intentionally suffer for a whole 40 days, in order to draw closer to our suffering Savior, Jesus. A lot can happen in those 40 days, but usually, it goes a little something like this:
It all starts with Mardi Gras. . . also known as “Fat Tuesday.” If you’re anything like me, you deck out and go ham on all the prepackaged junk food. In other words, you eat a bunch of Hawaiian rolls in your car on the way home from the grocery store (based on a true story. I regret nothing). You then quickly realize that this means it is time to officially decide what you are committing to this Lent.
Then comes Ash Wednesday. You wonder what your ashes are going to look like. Will it be a nice opaque cross, or will it look like you got into your mom’s eyeshadow as a toddler? Stay tuned.
It’s a few days into Lent, and things are going well! You’ve stuck to your commitment, and are feeling extra #blessed. All those days of fasting have made you hungry, so you sink your teeth into a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich. Half-way into lunch, you look at your phone, and on the top of your screen you see that fateful word: “Friday.”
The days tick by, and they get harder and harder as they pass. You start to get worried about your commitment, but it’s okay! You convince yourself that it’s just a phase and that this is going to be your best Lent ever! … Right?
You break. You realize you can’t do this without the grace of God. You realize that you are a needy little human being, who is incapable of holiness without God. So, you ramp up your prayer life, take a deep breath, and start again with your head held high.
You realize that just because you have the grace of God on your side, doesn’t mean that your sacrifice will be easy. But that’s what it’s about! You can unite your small sufferings with the cross in preparation for Easter.
And just like that, it’s almost Easter! And, as sanctifying as Lent has been, let’s face it, you can’t wait for it to be over. Holy Week is right around the corner and humanity’s Savior is about to conquer all death and sin, AND resurrect from the dead!!
The day is here! It’s Easter Sunday!! He is risen!! You go to Mass, and the joy of the Lord’s Resurrection fills your church to the brim. You are so thankful for your journey during Lent and how you grew in love and faith for the Lord.
Order “Into the Desert: a Journey of Sacrifice and Temptation” as a guide to your Lenten journey. Meet Jesus in the desert and confront the battle of temptation with the power of authentic sacrifice.
