A very happy Lent-eve to you all. Today is FAT TUESDAY which is probably one of my favorite days of the year for obvious reasons.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what Lent means. To be honest, I forgot Lent was coming up until this past weekend when they talked about Ash Wednesday Services at Church. It was like…WAIT WHAT? Which is funny because Ash Wednesday was almost a year earlier last year.
I believe the season of Lent provides us with so many things. First, it is a gift from God; that we all know. It is an entire season that He has given us to prepare for the coming of Jesus at Easter. It is also a time for us to step back, reverently reflect on the state and direction of our own lives, and think about and potentially repair our relationship to Christ; hence, lament.
 Lent is a time of Lamentation because it is a time where we can solemnly go into our souls with matches and restart the pilot light inside of ourselves that we have allowed to burn out. Lent means virtually nothing without honest, pro active analysis of God and we do and how we can relate to Him.
Lent is also about suffering along with our Lord as he begins the last phase of his life and makes his Passion from Jerusalem to Calvary. We can find the Nail in our lives; the Nail which, through sin, we drive everyday into the hands of Christ. We can find that Nail and do our best to rid ourselves of it. This is why we give things up for Lent. The direct intention of this isnt suffering…I think it’s awareness. Awareness of a self-less lifestyle and of the great suffering through which we put Christ each and every day.
I’m not sure yet what I’m giving up or taking on, but I hope whatever it is will bring me closer to God and help me continue to answer the call to the Holy Priesthood.
Sorry this is a short post…Week 10 and Finals approaching…work, work, work.
May God grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
In Christ,
RA
