This year has been a difficult one for all of us. We have been in isolation, quarantined, missed receiving the Eucharist, missed holidays with family and friends, weddings and sadly funerals. We have been shown a different kind of fasting, abstinence and almsgiving. This lent I believe we are being called to offer this past year up to God as a sacrifice.
I would encourage all of you to enter this lent a little differently because let’s face it we are living in a different world. Jesus’ 40 days in the desert were a test of his mind, body and spirit. He came out of that desert stronger and able to start his ministry with the confidence and love he needed to take on this world. I think we are being called to do the same. We led a life before the virus hit that is much different than the life we lead today. We have been in the desert for a long time now and I encourage you to use this time of lent as preparation for what you want your life to look like when you are able to leave, when you get to go back out into the world.
For your body, are you taking care of your gift? Are you nourishing yourself of are you indulging? Are you moving, even a little, so that when you put your hand on your heart you can feel it beating just a little bit faster? Mind are you making time to gain knowledge? Maybe now is the time to read the book you have been putting off, take a class you have wanted to take (available online I am sure), do something that will engage you and occupy your mind with something that takes a little more effort than just watching TV or staring at a screen. Spirit now would be a good time to find time every day to pray.
Jesus was being called to be all things to all people every day of his ministry, but he even found time to pray. Instead of making this lent a 40-day challenge, let the challenge be how are you going to make everything you do this lent into a habit so that you continue to do these things in your daily life long after lent has ended. Please take the time to pray and reflect and give yourself some time to really contemplate what your lent this year is going to look like… — Jackie Sullivan