A priest leads the burning of palms outside a church in Manila, Philippines, Feb. 21, 2023, in preparation for Ash Wednesday the next day. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day penitential season of Lent. (OSV News photo/Lisa Marie David, Reuters)
EMBRACING FAMILY
Let’s be honest. As the 40 days of Lent are nearing completion, we find ourselves in a quandary: we’re excited that we only have another week or two of our Lenten resolutions, but that excitement is offset by the somber reality of Holy Week. Our fasting from negativity, gossip, sweets, coffee, etc., for 40 days should not result in binging on Easter or shortly thereafter. Why not? Shouldn’t we be excited that we practiced self-control for 40 days?
Of course, we should celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and enjoy an Easter feast with others. However, if we simply revert to our old ways after Easter, then our Lenten resolutions were ineffective. We have been working hard to embrace our resolutions. They have borne fruit in our lives and in the lives of others. How sad it would be if we limited these benefits to 40 days.
Our resolutions are intended to be life changing. This does not mean giving up sweets for the rest of our lives. It means that when we made the sacrifices we did during Lent, we learned the value of self-control and focusing more time on prayer and helping others rather than on our self-gratification. Thus, when we celebrate at Easter, we will be doing so with greater moderation than we did before Lent. We can continue to “unplug” a little bit from technology to be more connected with God and spending more time with our families. We can continue sharing our time, talent and treasure with our faith community and our local community, as well.
Easter should find us bidding farewell to some of our vices and welcoming virtue. Our Easter celebration will not be a celebration that our resolutions are finally done; rather, it will be that we are choosing to live more faith-filled lives, whereby we are less enslaved to sin and more liberated by the peace and joy that comes from a life rooted in Christ.
Let’s take a few minutes to re-dedicate ourselves to our resolutions for the remainder of Lent, and let’s challenge ourselves to discern how we will be transformed by our resolutions. How will our prayer, fasting and almsgiving change the way we live our daily lives — from Easter Sunday onward? Our resolutions should help us break away from sin and live the Gospel. What message are people getting when they see us? Hear us? Are our words and actions inspiring others or weighing them down?
St. John Paul II said, “We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!” May our praying, fasting and almsgiving help us truly be Easter People who discover Jesus, not only in the Breaking of Bread, but in the people and events of every day. How blessed we would be if others were to ask the source of joy and peace! When we think of the radiance of newlyweds, it is because they are eagerly celebrating the love they have for each other. We should be eagerly radiating God’s love, which we discovered—or rediscovered—during this Lenten season.
Here is feedback from a reader in response to the question from our last column, “Are our Lenten resolutions eager or meager expressions of our love for Christ?”
“I’ve not been able to get this question out of my head. Anytime I felt tempted to give in to gluttony, gossip, or other vices, I kept asking myself, ‘Is my expression of love for Jesus EAGER or MEAGER?’ By the fact that I had to ask the question obviously meant I was on the brink of the answer being meager. Luckily, I challenged myself to be generous, realizing God’s love for me knows no limits. So, who am I to be placing limits on my love for Him or others?”
Questions? Please email Sarah and David at Success@EmbraceFamilyLearning.com. We would be honored to lift you up in prayer and respond, as well!
