Since college, I have observed Lent by giving up something and, later, by eliminating meat on Fridays. If it ever came up in conversation, I was often met with "you must be Catholic".
No, I wasn't. I was a plain, ole', ordinary Methodist. But I liked the Catholic Church's take on the whole thing.
It was always somewhat surprising to me that people I considered learned didn't seem to realize that Lent is a season on the CHRISTIAN calendar, not just a Catholic thing.
Lent is the time from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. It is a time of penance and reflection and an opportunity to get yourself "right" spirituality before the feast of the Resurrection. Part of this process has always been "sacrificing" something as a part of your penance. Most people will give up chocolate, or desserts, or alcohol, or something else in a similar vein.
But it really should be more meaningful than that. These are supposed to be lifetime changes. Stop and think for a minute what we are really talking about. Jesus committed the ultimate sacrifice. He died. For us and for our sins. After his 40 days were up he didn't get to go back to his old life like we all will. Now, most would argue that his sacrifice resulted in the greatest gift. He, as well as all of us that believe, received eternal life for his sacrifice. Who would want to go back to their ordinary life with that promise in front of you as a reward?
Shouldn't our sacrifices result in something more positive than a caffeine headache that lasts for days?
I'm not being judgmental about anyone that gives up something they love. It isn't my place. But I'd like to toss out the challenge to take it to the next level.
Giving up chocolate? Why not take the bags of candy you aren't eating to a food pantry as a sweet treat for those whose food budget is more focused on the basics? No more coffee? Why not donate the $4 a latte per day savings to a animal shelter or a charity of choice? Foregoing Facebook? How will you spend those hours that you aren't online? Will you make it a priority to reconnect with your spouse or children or maybe volunteer those hours at a nursing home or hospital? Maybe you need to repair a relationship. Perhaps freeing your heart of ill-will is your penance. You may just need to take an internal inventory and rid yourself of the feelings and issues that are now obsolete.
My point is this - make your sacrifice a positive in the life of someone else. Just like Jesus' sacrifice was a positive for the rest of mankind. Make it a positive for you as well. And it doesn't always have to be "giving up". You can actually "add to". Make it a point to send your grandmother a card once a week. Drive your elderly neighbor on their errands. Spend 30 minutes a day exercising to help your physical being. Doing something like that results in your sacrifice of some of your free time, but you will be making such a difference in the lives of others.
And isn't that what this season is all about?
