Preparing ourselves during Lent
Why must we and how do we prepare ourselves for Lent?
There are suggested preparations like abstinence and fasting. Often, many of us go through these rituals automatically, without remembering the spiritual dimensions of these practices.
Take fasting, for example. Why do we fast?
Allow us to share these words about fasting written by Mars that appeared as the February 15th Living Water reading.
True fasting “means listening to the Lord, discovering more of His will, and responding to the grace and mission that we are all called to. Fasting is “not eating†so we can pray. Fasting is “not spending†so we can give to others. Fasting is “not thinking of ourselves,†so we can focus on loving God and neighbor even more. Fasting is “not complaining or bragging†that we haven’t eaten so we can have extraordinary joy in our hearts.
Fasting then goes beyond the physical. We all need to reflect on the spiritual meaning of fasting, not as a self-serving act but one that connects us more with our Lord.
We need to watch out for this mechanical version of fasting. We have to reflect on the meaning of the following verse: “Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day.†Isaiah 58:3.
According to Andrew Murray, “Fasting helps express, deepens, confirms the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.â€
Abstinence and fasting are spiritual acts that we do as our act of offering to God, that we are willing to do everything for Him, more than for ourselves.
Come to think of it, there could be more creative ways to express our spiritual preparation for Lent, our way of returning our gratitude and thanks for the unconditional love that God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ demonstrated to us. He gave up His only Son to redeem us.
This is the meaning, the essence, of Lent. We are reminded to take time to realize the import of such love, the significance of that kind of love, the divinity of God’s love, unconditional and eternal.
In exchange for that divine love, in return for this greatest love we continue to be gifted with, can we not find time each day to maintain spiritual connection with our Lord, by offering to Him whatever we can, to show how much we will do, how much we will give up, for Him, for His people.
The daily traffic situation can be an occasion for prayer- of giving way to others, with patience and generosity in one’s heart. Daily traffic seems to transform the good and beautiful in people to become ugly and bad. Properly managing waste, setting aside recyclable goods, to share with those who can use these for their daily survival, can be a divine offering to God as well.
Using respectful language, especially to those unused to hearing kind words because of their social status, can bring a smile to their faces. Bringing out the smile out of others can be a beautiful form of prayer, of offering to God.
Of course, doing these acts need to be sincere and truly genuine offerings and prayers to the Lord. Exercising so that one can do more service for the Lord and not just for the sake of looking good and being healthy for oneself can turn a very casual routine daily routine act to a spiritually enriching initiative.
While Lent has often been thought of as a sad moment in our liturgical year, it can actually be a continuing period of celebration of thanksgiving and praise to God for showing us the true and deep meaning of love, of divine love!
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