Lenten Lessons

I have to admit Lent was off to a slow start for me.  It was probably because I started practicing my fasts weeks before Ash Wednesday so when it rolled around it almost felt anti-climactic?! I brought this concern to Adoration one evening at which the Lord put seeds of sacrifice ideas that I haven't given much thought before.  At first glance these things were inconsequential but the more I thought about and worked towards it, the more I realized the Lord knew what He was talking about.  The things I have taken for granted as banal, simple and un-meaningful were really things that are hard to sustain (joyfully) having masked itself as trivialities in my mind.  But at a closer scrutiny these are exactly what needs perfected in my life. 

So when my dear friend Mrs. Darwin posted about True Penance quoting St. Jose Maria Escriva, I recognized in it the Lenten plans God had for me.  It was a good extension of the penances/fasts I had planned for myself. It is only the second week of Lent, I haven't yet spiritually keeled over although physically it might be a different story! I am tired!

There is such beauty in these days of austerity and fasting. I have felt ever more the closeness of Christ in the quiet.  I have recognized even more the need for my conversion of life.  I am recognizing more and more what God created me to be (yup it's taken only this long) and I am recognizing more and more all He has done/is doing to get me to where I need to be in this life and the next.

I love Lent.  It is like being in a slow-motion scene while the rest of the secular world whirls about in it's maddening rat-race.  I love the feasts of Lent (St. Patrick and St. Joseph this week!), I love the extra devotions we take up during this season. I love Lent.

The moral of the story for this post is that if you are stuck in a rut this Lent, bring it to prayer.  Have the Lord tell you what it is He wants you to really give up and what virtues He wants you to work on.  Keep fasting, keep praying, keep giving alms, keep the quiet.

Praying with you all the way 'til Easter Sunday ;-)