For athletes, there are three seasons: off season, pre-season, and in-season. In terms of faith, however, there is no “off-season.”
(As noted in previous posts, most recently here, I like to use sport and fitness analogies in discussing faith issues.)
Using this analogy, we might consider the liturgical year periods of Christmas, Easter, and Ordinary time as “in-season.” So in this analogy, Lent and Advent are “pre-season” training periods.
The theme of pre-season training is about preparation – the building up one’s basic strength and endurance. Both prepare us for our on-going faith journey that fills most of the year.
Lent, however, is a unique opportunity to refresh and “re-train” our basic faith beliefs and practices that can become stale, or even sterile.
We tend to focus on the mechanics of lent such as traditional fasting, prayer and alms giving. We ask each other “What have you given up?” And any Lenten obligations (confession, etc.) become our focus.
I think if we dig deep, however, what transpires over the 40 days is a “shot in the arm” for our on-going conversion.
Conversion dimensions
The nature of conversion is the subject of many books. Seeking a simplified description, it involves a change of direction for our lives. Conversion comes from the Latin “converso” meaning a turning around. We might view this conversion as a turning around of mind, our will and behavior.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:3, ”. . . Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Likewise, a first step is repentance. As Peter states in Acts 3:19, “Repent, therefore and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”
I once heard a priest preach that Lent is about the three “Rs’ – repentance, reflection and renewal. In this respect, they all are elements of a “turning around.”
There can also be external conversion and internal (personal) examples during the Lenten pre-season.
External Conversion dimensions in Lent
External conversions are those that occur outside of ourselves in others. There can be several external conversion targets that are unique to Lent.
The semi-annual 40 Days for Life campaign kicked off on Ash Wednesday. The conversion focus is not only on the expectant mother but on the abortion providers and staff as well. It is about a conversion of heart on the sanctity of life. Conversion in this context has truly life and death consequences.
RCIA catechumens and candidates become members of the Church during the Easter Vigil. While it may appear as a culmination experience, it is not the end of their conversion preparation. It really is the “kick off” to their ongoing conversion journey.
Then there are the soft, lukewarm, or fallen away Catholic brothers and sisters. They tend to only attend Easter (and Christmas) masses out of old habits or family obligations. Here, the Lenten conclusion with Easter is an opportunity for such folks to look at becoming a “revert.” We need to be open to inviting them to try our faith again. In that sense, their attending Easter mass is a “teachable moment.”
There are roles that we can play in aiding others toward conversion in these examples. Participating in 40 Day for Life vigils, serving as RCIA sponsors or speakers and initiating faith conversations are examples.
Personal conversion during Lent
I think it’s pretty common to think that we are “true believers” and that we know all we need to know about God and our relationship to Him. But, in all humility, we’ve got a long way to go.
Conversion, at one level, is about transformation. It’s the ongoing challenge that Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 48: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Lent can be a focused period to work on that “turning around” transformation. However, it’s not a one-time thing that only occurs at Lent.
We are the product of all our experiences. If we are willing to accept that the meaning of life (at its core) is to follow Jesus commandant to love God and Love neighbor, then the Lenten journey can be the pre-season preparation experience that helps us to fulfill that meaning.
The various actions we take during Lent have several basic purposes toward that end. First is to increase our full awareness of Christ and His sacrifice. That awareness can then lead to a realization that it is all about love. Chrit’s sacrifice is the epitome of that expression.
Another core purpose is to facilitate a self-examination of our sinfulness. We ask forgiveness for what “I have done and what I have failed to do” (as we profess in the penitential act at Mass). It is a necessary step for accepting God’s grace. And it is an action of mutual support toward our conversion. It culminates in repentance by participating in the sacrament of confession.
Prayer, Fasting, Giving
The discipline of prayer and fasting and the seeking of opportunities for helping others are the observable purposes or dimensions of the season. Hopefully, they assist us to provide a renewed conversion of belief. They can also result in a re-conversion of habits to express more fully Jesus’ commandment to love God and love neighbor.
We need help to sustain the pre-season to experience this Lenten conversion. Prayer can aid us, such as this one provided on the Your Prayer Now website.
“Heavenly Father, source of boundless love and grace, instill in me your wisdom. As I attempt to navigate the path towards your eternal kingdom, provide comfort and guidance. Bestow upon me the courage to endure any trials encountered, trusting in you, my merciful Savior. Illuminate my heart and fortify my faith for this spiritual journey. Amen.”
