The season of Lent celebrated in the Catholic Church is a somber period where we intentionally step back from our hectic pace and examine the obstacles that prevent us from connecting with God. We do an examination of our lives in relationship to God. Have we dropped some spiritual disciplines? Are we spending more time with worldly pursuits or activities, leaving no time for God?
The serious disciple of Jesus utilizes the practice of fasting to work on eliminating something in their life that they have a disordered attraction to. This is more than just giving up something you really like for forty days, as a sacrifice to God.
It is an effort, led by the Holy Spirit, to identify something in your life that you should eliminate because you recognize that it is not really good for you. You start this by giving it up for forty days and then work to keep it out, or drastically reduce it within your life.
When you remove that non-beneficial element for Lent, you also want to add something beneficial that is typically spiritual in nature, but not always. For example, in my life, the Lord has been showing me that I was way too attached to television. I grew up with some really wonderful and amazingly clean programs (compared to today’s standards), shows like Hogan’s Heroes and The Brady Bunch.
What I didn’t realize was how addicted I got to television. It became one of my favorite methods of self medication, entertainment, and a TREMENDOUS TIME WASTER! It is for this reason that the Lord has been calling me to eliminate it completely from my life.
After fifty six years of life, I finally offered it up for Lent last year. After Lent I dramatically cut down on my consumption and replaced it with reading or other activities. This Lent, it is once again my object of fasting.
Adding Something
I wanted to offer an idea to you that I tried last year that was an extremely powerful experience. I did a deep dive into the Roman Missal. It is the book the Priests use to pray the Mass. I made it my Lenten exercise to study the words of the prayers used within the Mass.
What caused me to look into that was my observation as a deacon while at the altar during the consecration of the Blessed Sacrament. I would look out into the crowd while the priest was saying the prayers and an overwhelming majority of people were not paying any attention. It was as if they were on automatic pilot, coasting through the Mass until their next time to change positions.
Now, after doing the study, I understand why the demons that come in with you don’t want you to pay attention to the prayers. They are AMAZING!! I found that making the time to study and reflect on what is being said in those prayers, in relation to the season we celebrate, led me to enter into the Mass more fully.
I could really make the words my own and, thus, give myself to God so much more fully. In fact, this impacted me so much that I periodically get so focused on the prayers that I forget to do some of my parts during the Mass. The priest just waits, then looks at me and then I realize I’m on.
May I suggest you do your own deep dive into the prayers said in the Mass. I believe you will discover it to be an amazing adventure into this sacrament. Don’t forget to invite the Holy Spirit to quicken your heart to the places he wants you to notice. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you. So relevant, especially today. I almost forgot that I met you at a 22:23 Men’s Conference (Fr. Larry Richards) a few years ago. After you spoke I introduced myself and thanked you. At that time I desired to be accepted into the Deaconate program but, I suppose God had other plans as they advised I was not a good candidate. That stung and I struggle still to not hold grudges and accept this as God’s plan You have helped me in this regard and for that I am grateful.