Embracing Family
How do we remind ourselves of our Lenten resolutions? Do we keep a color-coded calendar? Set alerts on our phones? Tape reminders to the refrigerator?
If you are anything like me, the answer is yes, yes and yes. We need as many reminders as possible to stay on track during Lent. Life gets busy. We get distracted. Good intentions fade.
Yet faithfulness to Lent does not mean rigidly adhering to our carefully constructed spiritual plan. Rather, as we commit ourselves to prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we must also remain open to God’s plan — which often disrupts our own.
As Proverbs reminds us, “The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps” (Prv 16:9). While Lenten discipline is essential, surrendering is even more important.
In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus clearly teaches the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These practices form us and train our hearts. They strengthen not only our self-control, but ultimately our willingness to allow God to be in control.
St. Francis de Sales captures this beautifully when he writes, “The measure of love is to love without measure.” Loving without measure often means loving beyond the boundaries of our neatly organized schedules.
What does a holy derailment look like? Maybe we notice someone sitting outside the church who looks ill or overwhelmed. Perhaps we are heading to volunteer when we encounter a child who appears lost and afraid. When we sit down to begin an important task (like writing this article), a grieving neighbor is feeling lonely and could use a listening ear.
These were some of our recent derailments. What holy derailments have you had?
In these moments, we face a decision: Do we cling to our holy plans, or do we follow what may be God’s holy interruption? The good Samaritan did not wake up planning to stop along the roadside; he simply responded when he saw the need (Lk 10:33).
Sometimes God speaks most clearly through interruptions. The question is whether we are listening.
Not every interruption is from God. Discernment is necessary. We might ask ourselves: Does this invite me to love more deeply? Does responding bring peace, even if it entails sacrifice?
St. Paul reminds us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22–23). When a disruption bears these fruits, we can trust that the Spirit is at work.
Often, God’s interruptions align directly with the corporal and/or spiritual works of mercy. A delayed errand becomes an opportunity to comfort the sorrowful. A shortened prayer time becomes a chance to visit the sick. A postponed task becomes an act of charity, like feeding the hungry.
When we begin to view our days through this lens, Lent shifts from a checklist of things to a loving relationship with God and others, especially the most vulnerable in our community.
The ultimate model of surrender is our Blessed Mother. At the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38), Mary’s life changed forever. She undoubtedly had her own hopes and expectations. But when God’s plan interrupted hers, she responded with trust: “May it be done to me according to Your word” (Lk 1:38).
Mary’s holiness came not from her control but from consenting to God’s will. Mary teaches us that sanctity does not come from executing our plans perfectly. It comes from saying yes when God invites us to pivot.
We will know our Lenten journey is bearing fruit when surrender becomes a habit — when our prayer leads us to listen to someone who is struggling, when our fasting inspires us to feed someone else physically, emotionally or spiritually, and when our acts of charity increase even as our carefully arranged plans unravel.
In those moments, we can be confident that we are not merely following our own Lenten program. We are walking with the Lord. Perhaps that is the most faithful Lent of all.
Questions or prayer requests? Please email Sarah and David at Success@EmbraceFamilyLearning.com. We would be honored to lift you in prayer and respond.