Lent

Soon, the Church will lead us into the season of Lent, which lasts 40 days and leads up to Easter. This time reminds us of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. And for Christians, it is a time of penance and, above all, of conversion. So, there are those who fast and make sacrifices for Jesus, who do not eat meat on Fridays, who abstain from alcohol, and who refrain from going to dances or going out in the evenings. All these physical sacrifices are to be encouraged. However, the emphasis is often placed on outward aspects at the expense of conversion. And therein lies the danger, for many of the sacrifices made during Lent do not always lead to a profound conversion. Jesus said: ‘This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’. Lent is a time when our lives and our hearts must draw closer to Jesus.

Lent: an opportunity for spiritual growth

Lent is not, above all, a time when Christians must be sad. Why not experience a Lent that allows us to draw much closer to Jesus, to know him much better, to love him even more; not just a little, but much more intensely. To help us experience this Lent in a different way, here are a few suggestions:

1. Be faithful to a daily personal prayer throughout the 40 days of Lent, without missing a single day.

a. We can make the effort to get up earlier.

b. Sacrifice an hour of television to devote to your spiritual life.

c. Sacrifice a short walk to spend time in prayer.

2. Read one chapter of the Bible every day. By the end, you will have read 40 chapters.

a. Perhaps pray over each Bible passage as you read it

3. Read the handout or another passage from the Word and put it into practice during the 40 days of Lent.

4. Be faithful and punctual in attending activities that help your faith to grow:

a. Mass

b. Confession every week.

c. Regular attendance at group activities (meetings, services, retreats, formation) without missing a single one.

d. Financial contributions to build the Kingdom of God

5. For Jesus’ sake, you can resolve to perform 40 acts of love – one each day.

6. Make peace with everyone with whom you recall having had a falling-out: this may involve taking the first step.

7. Cut ties with sin. Especially mortal sins.

a. Give up the people, places or things that lead you to sin.

8. Share the Gospel with 40 people during Lent. Bring the Lord’s sheep back to Him.

All these inner efforts, which people may not see, will be appreciated by the Lord God, who knows all secrets. To these inner efforts, you can then add outward and communal practices such as fasting, the Stations of the Cross (you can buy a book and sometimes do the Stations of the Cross in your room, with your family and at church, at least on Fridays during Lent), and giving alms. For the past few years, I have looked forward to Lent; I am joyful when it arrives because I know that God will draw me even closer to Him. I draw up a plan by making a few small resolutions that help me to love him more. When you go to church on Ash Wednesday, it’s a good idea to already have a direction in mind for your Lenten journey.

Henri Bayemi