How To Find Time In The Day for Lent

The fast pace of your life may seem to leave little time and energy for the traditional Lenten practices. But you can weave moments of spiritual awareness and service into even the busiest of schedules. The trick is to see Lenten practice as part of, rather than in addition to, each activity of your ordinary hectic day.

The three foundational practices of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Here’s how to think about them in a new way:

Praying Daily

If you make a habit of saying a little prayer whenever someone irritates you, cuts you off in traffic, or makes life difficult; when someone does you a favor, you experience great and friendly service, or when something joyful happens to you—you will soon find yourself praying your way through the day. Try this simple practice and you will be observing the Catholic Church’s call for greater prayer during the Lenten season. You will also find that this habit makes your life flow smoother, your self more centered, and your Spirit more aware of God’s presence.

A Different Type of Fasting 

There are many ways to fast.  Why not fast from criticism, gossip, judging others, or passing on rumors? Why not abstain from unwarranted fear and anxiety? You can also tell that inner voice inside your head that criticizes you to abstain from eroding your ability to be the confident, blessed person God calls you to be.  These are beautiful ways to observe the Lenten call to fasting and abstinence. 

Give of Yourself 

Daily life also offers countless opportunities to give of yourself to others (alms), and most don’t involve dipping into your wallet. Give encouragement to the doubting, give a word of praise to the insecure, show kindness to someone who could use a friend, and offer a word of thanks to those whose service of others often goes unappreciated. Give the gift of your attention to someone who simply wants to be noticed. Tell your children stories about people whose values you admire when you gather at mealtime. Don’t be stingy with your smiles—give them freely to everyone you meet. And most important, give your love to those close to you. Hug them, hold them, and tell them what they mean to you.  In this way you open your heart to God and others.

So no matter how busy your are in life, with some greater awareness and new perspectives you can consciously pray, fast, and give of yourself this Lent—and you will be ready to celebrate when a joyful dawn breaks upon you Easter morning.

Ash Wednesday

Today marks the beginning of this year's Season of Lent. For many cradle Catholics this evokes memories of fasting and setting goals of "giving things up."

These traditions afford us an opportunity to free ourselves from distraction and also deepen our awareness of Christ in our lives by attempting to remain focused on His voice calling to us.

There is more to this season than simple abstinence, fasting and almsgiving.

These give us moments to practice this Season's discipline within tradition but there is more to this holy time than these practices.

It is a time for us to admit humbly that we need God. We have a personal, intimate need for Him in our day to day lives. The ashes on our foreheads remind us that "we are dust." We did not bring ourselves into this world and we cannot, despite all we hear, keep ourselves alive in this world with God. To get in touch with our "nothingness" is the greatest challenge. Never before have we been so tempted to believe that we are the sole Masters of our destiny. Each and ever day we are bombarded with thye message that we can have whatever we want and whenever we would like it. We are an entitled people, my dear friends.

I find myself again and again returning to the need to pray and reflect on the central mystery of what these weeks of Lent lead up too: the Redemptive act of Jesus' love for the world and of Our Father.

If I am going to live as a Christian in the world, I must have a solid appreciation for the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. I must be able to find myself again and again in that narrative, that story, that experience, that mystery.

I must never give up hope that my Lord's Redeeming love is not finished with me and with our world. I am given chances every day to practice that mystery. I am challenged to forgive both myself and my friend. Like Jesus, I can never forgive enough.

It begins with my acknowledging that I need God. It then challenges me to revisit what I have grown blind, deaf and accepting of in my life: the poor, the suffering, the violence, the apathy, the cursing, the despair, the value of permanent and faithful love between all persons - gay or straight. These name a few - there are many more. What more can I find if I just invite Jesus to invigorate me this Lenten Season?

My friends, follow the dicipline of our Faith and renounce sin, fast, pray and give to the poor. Please do not let it end there. Help me to make this Season one of real and lasting growth, by not settling for what worked in the past. It is not just a time of denial, but of action.