Lent: A Gentle Approach for Troubled Times

The day after the events at Capitol Hill occurred, I received my first email about Lent for this year.  Looking at the subject line in my inbox, all my heart could think was, “Oh no, please don’t talk to me about Lent yet.”  I, like many Americans, feel like I have been in a season of penitence for a while.  The idea of more sacrifice and barren reflections was too much to bear.  We’ve already been in the desert, and now the liturgical year is telling us to enter deeper into it?

However, the Church always has the needs of God’s children at her center.  There are ways to embrace the upcoming penitential season that will heal and prepare our souls for Christ’s final days, rather than wear us too thin to stand by His Cross.

Lent in the Catechism

The Catechism talks about the value of Lent as a time of penitence in the following way:

“The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.  These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).”  CCC 1438

As described above, Lent is a season established for penitential practice, but this practice can take on many different forms.  The point of these practices is to cleanse and prepare us to receive the gift of salvation which Christ came, died, and rose again to give us.  What our souls need when Lent arrives will change with our lives each year.

Although it is traditional and encouraged, giving up something for Lent is not a requirement imposed by the Church.  The USCCB lists the giving up of something as one of three Lenten pillars necessary for best observance of the season: “Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving“.  For some life phases, it may serve our souls to give up time by adding service or new forms of prayer rather than removing foods (except on the required fast and abstinence days) or other enjoyments.  Other seasons, we may need to feel the lack of pleasures to remind us of our eternal destination.

The Purpose of Lent

As with every season of the Church, Lent is meant to position our souls to observe and reflect on a particular part of salvation history, while also challenging us to deepen our relationship with Christ and better prepare ourselves for our desired Heavenly destination.  If, due to our current lives or dispositions, traditional Lenten sacrifices would only add to our stress and distraction, then observing them would not help us achieve the purpose of the liturgical season.

This can also be adjusted throughout the Lenten season.  If we start with one sacrifice and it proves to be difficult in the wrong way, or perhaps even too easy, we can change it as the seasons progresses.  The point is to grow spiritually, not to complete a challenge just for the sake of sticking with it.  As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in his 2011 Lenten Message, “The Lenten period is a favorable time to recognize our weakness and to accept, through a sincere inventory of our life, the renewing Grace of the Sacrament of Penance, and walk resolutely towards Christ.”

A Gentle But Transformative Lent

For those who want to experience this transformation but have already been through great trials or endured great sacrifices in the past few months, a gentler approach to this season could be the perfect way to lean on Christ and grow closer to Him.

Here are a few suggestions for observing the traditional prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in a way that feeds and heals the already burdened soul:

Prayer:

• Read St. Therese of Lisieux’s The Story of a Soul or the book, I Believe in Love, a written retreat based on her “Little Way”.  These books are easy to read, share little ways to grow in holiness, and express God’s love in a profound and comforting way.
• Commit to a decade of the Rosary every day and offer up your worries with each bead.  Add to the experience by praying along with a beautiful recording or using treasured rosary beads.
• Ask one person how you can pray for him or her each day.  This could be a parent after a phone call or a cashier in the grocery store.
• Pick a saint to learn more about throughout Lent.

Fasting:

• Swap out secular music for religious or classical music.  If hymns or instrumentals are not enjoyable, try Catholic artists like Audrey Assad, Matt Maher, inspiring artists like Enya or Josh Groban, or spend time exploring Catholic music off the beaten path.  Two Pavarotti duets with mainstream artists are a great place to start: “Holy Mother” with Eric Clapton and “Panis Angelicus” with Sting.
• Spend the first five minutes in the car, whether commuting or running errands, in silence once a day.  Silence can reveal our worries and/or temptations and help us better know the areas we need to ask God’s guidance.
• Go on a social media fast, set a timer on social apps, or mute secular accounts while following more Catholic ones to fill the feed.
• Instead of giving up one major food all of Lent, pick a small food sacrifice each day.  Examples include: having water instead of soda, having black coffee, not adding salt or condiments, not having dessert, not having seconds.  I recommend this article from the Catholic Stand archives if food-related sacrifices are difficult or impossible for you medically or mentally.

Almsgiving:

• Clean out the house and donate excess or unused clothes, toys, and other items to a charity that helps the less fortunate.  Donate baby items to pregnancy centers or other local moms in need.
• Call a family member or friend who could use some company.
• Participate in the Bishop’s Annual Appeal as is possible, either through donations, prayers, or both.
• Buy fast-food gift cards to give to the needy on street corners and hand them out when stopped (if it is safe to do so).

Pick one thing from above and just start the season with it.  If it is challenging, keep going!  If it is painful or stress-inducing, try a different option.

Have a Blessed Lent

It is important to be honest with ourselves when assessing our spiritual needs.  Lent forces us to look at our attachments and priorities to determine if we have elevated things above God. Even in difficult times, there can be things we need to remove to better focus on the Lord.

But, if the thought of Lent weighs heavier than usual this year, we can offer up our sufferings, recognize our great neediness for Christ, and choose a gentler path to help our hearts have room for Him instead of being cluttered with worry.  May God send us all peace and hope throughout this liturgical year.