A Good Lent

A blessed Ash Wednesday to all, as we begin the journey of Lent through the traditional practices of almsgiving, fasting  and prayer, not always listed in that order, but one which signifies their purpose, in terms of our own growth in virtue and holiness:

Almsgiving detaches us from our external goods, money, possessions, time.

Fasting detaches us from the delights of the body, food and other pleasures (media, games, dancing or whatever floats your sensory boat).

And, finally, prayer detaches us from ourselves, so that we may in turn open ourselves up to God in honest reflection and conversation, giving our entire being to Him, so that, as Christ says, we may learn what is the will of the Father, and be given the grace to do it.

How each person instantiates these is personal and largely private, besides, as Father Callam states in his article, the two remaining universal days of fasting and abstinence, today and Good Friday. A bit more corporate penance would not necessarily be a bad thing, but we take what we can get.

For now, choose those things to give up or take on that will make you a better person, something you can maintain.  And remember that the purpose of the whole endeavour is the of fostering interior conversion, a metanoia of the heart, charity, patience, kindess, humility, chastity, fortitude and good will.

If we can must muster but a little bit of that, we will have had a good Lent, so a good Lent to all.

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