‘Tis the Lenten season. Forty days of giving up candy, or soda, or Chipotle, or TV, or whatever it is you decided to give up this year. What if I told you that this Lent you don’t need to give up anything? For most, when they think of Lent they think of only fasting. But fasting is only one of the three pillars of Lent. Lent also includes prayer and almsgiving. Through the three pillars, you strengthen your connection with Jesus and God, so why not make that your Lenten resolution?! So how can you strengthen this relationship and how can you apply this to other relationships?
Rather than taking away things from your life for forty days, add in prayer. Go to church every Sunday. If you already do that try to go to another mass during the week. Add more prayer into your daily life. If you already pray daily, try reading the daily Mass readings and take time to reflect on them. Write your own homily for the day’s Gospel reading. I personally watch Fr. Matt Williams of the Archdiocese of Boston’s daily Lenten YouTube videos. Ask a friend or family member to help you stay on track or have them do it with you. Having the accountability of another can also bring you closer to that person.
BC is already known for the amount of service work the students and faculty do. If you don’t participate in any community service, find a way to get involved. Find a soup kitchen in your local area or work with children at a youth group or learning center. Again, do it with someone. Make it a commitment every week.
Do something simple. Make a goal to do one nice thing for someone for the forty days, be it a stranger, significant other, parent, sibling, or friend.
When you share a deeper spiritual connection with someone, the whole power of that relationship can be strengthened. So this Lent, take the time to reflect on your spiritual life. How can you strengthen it? Whether it is through sacrifice, prayer or charity, how can you then extend that power into other relationships?
Photo Source:
http://mudpreacher.org/2012/04/24/because-of-the-cross-we-have-the-word/