The Heart of Lent by Fr. Mike
Some of us think Lent is nothing more than a forty day obligated marathon of church imposed sacrifice, an inconvenient time which we must survive by staying away from something we like such as sweets or coffee.
This superficial observance of Lent will not draw us closer to Christ, nor help us experience the new life Easter offers or produce the inner spiritual renewal and transformation of heart we hope for through the resurrection.
The main focus of Lent is about being set free to love.
Lent is not about the externals but rather a time for us to change who we are on the inside by being transformed by grace. We are invited to imitate Christ through prayer and fasting.
We are being challenged to let go of our illusions, false Gods, and the idols in our life. To be truly free. How? By asking ourselves: What am I being tempted to: To seek personal ambition at the expense of the common good or to give in to cynicism or hopelessness? To chase pleasure and be unfaithful to myself, my responsibilities, my spouse or to God? To coast and not to grow, to go through the motions and self-protect? What will I choose this Lent?
Lent is not just about freeing our hearts from wrong or unhealthy attachments but turning toward the good. It is not just a liberation from any slavery to our ego and self but about exercising the freedom to love authentically. In this way lent is not just about the little sacrifices we make, but about discerning where our hearts are being directed. Who are we becoming? This is the core of Lent: asking what are our hearts being freed from and for whom? To whom do our hearts belong? Let us ask: Where is my life’s navigation system taking me :towards God, towards another or towards myself? Do I live to please the Lord, or to be noticed, praised, put at the head of line…? Do I have a fickle and “wobbly” heart, which takes a step forwards and then one backwards? Do I love the Lord a bit and the world a bit, or is my heart steadfast in God? Am I content with my hypocrisies, or do I work to free my heart from the duplicity and falsehood that tie it down?
Lent is a laser focused forty day spiritual preparation period for the new life offered through the resurrection of our Lord during which time we purify our hearts through penance, fasting, and prayer. It is a sacred and special time to free our hearts from the slavery of sin by listening more deeply to the Word of God, repenting and recommitting ourselves to living out more intentionally our Baptismal call. Lent is a time of grace that gives us an opportunity to decide for love by forgiving others and being forgiven, and therefore renewing our trust in the mercy of God. It is a time to intensify our prayer, fasting, penance, and almsgiving, as well as to share what we have with the less fortunate. During Lent we ought to set aside time for prayer in order to not only deepen our intimacy with God, but to generously respond to the blessings which we have received. How? By putting our faith into practice through concrete acts of charity, and observing a Lenten fast that enables our heart to grow in the capacity to love. Be sure to join us for our many reconciliation times, praying the way of the cross on Fridays and the fourth Sundays as well as for our Lenten mission “Rebuild My Church” from March 4-6.
