The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Every year on Ash Wednesday, my newsfeed is flooded with people sharing the promises they are making to grow in holiness over the course of 40 days. While it is so inspiring to see all the creative ways that others are planning to fast, give, and pray, it can also become a minefield for comparison. If you’re anything like younger me, you’ll sit down with your little journal and before you know it, you’ll have a list of ten things you want to do and give up. It’s a bit overwhelming. And often, it’s impossible.
This year, I want to challenge us to do Lent differently. Toss out any preconceived notions of what you “should” be doing and look again at the readings for today. Take them to heart. The first reading proclaims: “Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart.” That, my friends, is what it is all about.
Lent is not a crash course on personal development, nor is it exclusively an opportunity to become our “best selves” or finally implement a health habit. It is not a time to flex our holiness muscles for all to see. It is, however, a time of reflection upon the great mercy of God and to console His heart through prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.
Our Lenten commitments are not about us. It is about what happens in the hidden places of our hearts – between us and the Lord. So before you load your Lenten plates with all the things, stop and ask yourself: Why do I feel called to do this particular fast? How will it help me unite my sufferings to Jesus on the cross? Is this what He wants from me, or is it what I want for myself?
Some of the best advice I’ve been given in regards to Lenten commitments is this: it is better to do one thing for the Lord with your whole heart than to overcommit and end up feeling like a failure. He is not concerned about our performance. He doesn’t want our content. He wants our hearts fully content with Him. So, my dear reader, take some time today in the Inner Room of your heart. Tucked away from the noise of the world, you will be hidden and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
Laurie Medina is an alumna of the Echo Graduate Service program through the University of Notre Dame, where she received her M.A. in Theology. She recently moved to sunny SoCal from Texas to pursue licensure in Marriage & Family Therapy. She loves spending time outside, having heart conversations over coffee, and finding beauty in the holy ordinary. You can find her on Instagram.