Preparing for Lent

Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Quinquagesima Sunday
6 March 2011
St. Hilary’s, Chicago

http://www.usccb.org/nab/030611.shtml


As many of us know, this Wednesday we will begin Lent. Many of us will come to Ash Wednesday Mass, where ashes will be placed upon our heads and we will be reminded that we are mere dust, and we will hear the call of conversion from Christ to repent and believe in the Gospel.


There are many devotional practices which surround this extraordinary season of Lent. Among them comes to mind praying the Stations of the Cross, going to Mass more frequently, and making some sort of Lenten sacrifice – that is, giving something up for Lent.


Have you ever wondered why we give something up for Lent? Oftentimes, I find that I struggle to find something to give up. I’m not sure what I should do, and I often get my reasons confused. I think, “perhaps I should exercise more so that I get in better shape and lose weight”, or “maybe I should engage my studies more so that my grades improve.” While exercise and study are both good things, the motivation given above is entirely wrong, and ultimately is not what Lent is about. My foundation is faulty, and, like the house built on sand, eventually my good intention collapses. Consequently, I find when I try to do these things, I fail within the first two weeks.


So, why do we give things up for Lent? What is the house built upon rock? I fail because I have not heeded the Gospel. There is little or no sense of conversion of heart in these motivations I have listed. A story is told of a priest who, after a long day of work, was at his rectory and decided to walk to the nearby grocery store to pick up some food. Along the way, a man came out of the shadows holding a gun and said “give me all your money”. The priest said “Alright, you can have the money, but I don’t have much.” As he opened his coat to reach for his wallet, his scarf loosened and the man saw his collar. At this, he said “Oh, sorry, Father! I didn’t know you were a priest. I can’t rob a priest!” Needless to say, the priest was relieved. Having looked through his pockets, he found some gum and offered the man a stick of gum. To this, the man replied, “Oh, I can’t, Father. I gave up chewing gum for Lent.”


Clearly, the man in the story has missed something. He is giving up something for Lent, yet he is still stealing, still threatening people for his own advantage. The man may be saying “Lord, Lord”, but doing the Father’s will is far from his mind.


Lent is first and foremost about turning away from sin and turning back to Christ. If we have any sin – especially big sins, mortal sins – we must first repent of these. Only then will we be following the Father’s will – the law of our God; only then can we find a true foundation for our Lenten discipline. If we still hold onto sin, we cannot hope to keep the least Lenten promise and expect it to do us any good in the end.


Having repented and turned away from our sins, then we can find the true meaning of Lent. Our foundation solidified, only then can we begin building upon it. In my personal example, I must turn away from my own pride and desire to be more physically in shape because of the images our culture gives us. Then, I find that I still have a desire – indeed, a divine will urging me to exercise more, but not for my sake. Instead, now the desire has become for the sake of God and for his people. If I’m not exercising, my body is undisciplined, doesn’t rest well, and I am much less effective in ways that hurt the people around me. I can become lethargic and irritable. Ultimately, this does no good to me, the people around me, and God, whom I exist to serve. So, I sacrifice by choosing to take better care of my own body for the sake of Christ and others. Now, I’m no longer doing it for myself, but for God. Isn’t that motivation to keep up with it?!


So, as we prepare for Lent, the Gospel reminds us to build our house upon a rock foundation. If you are like the man robbing the priest, cut it out! Otherwise, your sacrificed gum won’t mean a thing. Repent, and believe in the words of the Gospel. Come to confession and declare your sins before Christ, who wants nothing more than to have you come to him, acting in his priest, to offer you forgiveness and reconciliation.


If you are already making progress in grace and wish to continue to build your house, then remember that it is for love of Christ that you give the gift of your sacrifice. If you’re not yet sure what to give, then examine your life and see what attachments you have, and if those things are keeping you away from a deeper love of Christ.


May God bless you all this Lent.