Revenge of the Lent Police

“What are you giving up for Lent?”

When I was young, my mother called me “The Lent Police” because I not only kept track of my own business during Lent but I also kept tabs on my siblings. I would regularly yell things like, “Mom, David is eating a cookie and it’s Lent!”( I was a real pain in the bum. I am surprised they still speak to me.)

After my reversion to the faith, I found myself giving up things as if I was part of an asceticism marathon, (and I planned to be first).

One long and difficult Lent I gave up coffee. I was traveling in Latin America so this was a terrible idea, not only because the coffee is great, but refusing coffee from a Latino is a serious faux pas – the equivalent of dumping a bucket of dirty dishwater on someone’s head. On top of that, I was a huge grump and suffered from splitting headaches for most of the trip. Of course, I no longer drink coffee so that is nice, but that horrendous experiment in asceticism was probably something better done as a New Year’s Resolution, rather than a Lenten practice.

What do I mean by this?

Lenten penances are not meant to be efforts at self-improvement or attempts to win an asceticism race. Instead, during Lent we are called to choose acts of mortification that show our love for God. It’s not so much in what we do, as the motivation behind it. I gave up coffee because I wanted to give up coffee. It was as simple as that. I did not give up coffee because I knew that it would please God. I did not give up coffee because it would create space in my life for God. I gave up coffee because I wanted to.

For the past several Lenten seasons, I have taken some inspiration from the founder of the Pauline Family, Blessed James Alberione.

Bl. James always emphasized that growth in the spiritual life must involve growth toward Jesus in the mind, will and heart.

He once said:

Think of grafting yourself to Christ the Master. Graft to Christ your head, your heart, your mind, your activities, all your day.

So, inspired by Alberione, I have made it a habit to look at possible things that I can do for Lent into these categories: Mind, Will, Heart. And then I ask – which things will bring me closer to God, and create more space in my life? And then even more importantly, I ask:

God, what do you want me to give up for Lent? #Lent2015 #LentQuestions #StillWaitingonanAnswer

— Sr. Theresa Aletheia (@pursuedbytruth) February 19, 2015

If you are still unsure what your Lenten practice will be or you are beginning to think that maybe you need to change your resolution, then maybe you would like to try this method. Here are some ideas to help explain the mind, will, heart method:

Mind: Make the time to read something spiritual that you have been meaning to get to. Or try to think less negatively during the day. Heather King has a great post about giving up complaining for Lent and it is a good example of a Lenten exercise that opens the mind to grace.

Will: Give up something or regulate something in your life that keeps you from living prayerfully. Maybe you drive like a maniac, cuss and show people a finger that should never be unaccompanied. Stop driving like that for Lent, (and maybe it will stick!) Or maybe you spend too much time on social media. Try cutting it out after dinner. (I actually have decided that I am not a fan of total fasts because they are often not realistically applied to life after Lent. I think it is better to try fasts that are more easily carried through or applied in some way after forty days.)

Heart: For me, this is a question of encouraging oneself to love God more than anything else. Lift your heart to God, whether it is through more prayer,  a daily walk, or adding a rosary into your daily commute. Basically, do anything that shows God that He is the king of your heart. Write a love letter to our Creator through something you choose to do during Lent. Or follow Sr. Mary Lea’s suggestion:

Go on a date with God. Buy a coffee at your favorite coffee shop. Sit down a few minutes. No one else needs to know what you are doing. Gaze at God, the one who loves you. 

I’ll end by sharing a prayer by Blessed James Alberione. It’s a lovely prayer that you can use to ask the Blessed Mother to accompany you in your Lenten journey. I have found that asking her to help me always smooths even the most difficult roads. Like a good mother, she helps us pick ourselves up after falling and sends us running over rocky terrain.

Entrusting of Oneself to Mary by Blessed James Alberione

Receive me, Mary, Mother, Teacher and Queen, among those whom you love, nourish, sanctify and guide, in the school of Jesus Christ, the Divine Master.

You identify in God’s mind those whom he calls, and for them you have special prayers, grace, light and consolations. My Master Jesus Christ entrusted himself wholly to you, from the Incarnation to the Ascension. For me this is doctrine, example and an ineffable gift. I too place myself entirely into your hands. Obtain for me the grace to know, imitate and love ever more the Divine Master, Way and Truth and Life. Present me to Jesus, for I am an unworthy sinner, and I have no other recommendation to be admitted to his school than your recommendation. Enlighten my mind, fortify my will, sanctify my heart, during this year of my spiritual work, so that I may profit from this great mercy, and may say at the end: “I live now not I, but Christ lives in me.”

May you all have a blessed Lent!