Lenten reflections

These days, advancements in technology have made it harder to find true solitude. People expect to get a hold of you at all times. Finding a quiet space to be alone is only the first step. Turning off all devices and disconnecting from the world takes a bit more discipline.

Before He started His public ministry, Jesus withdrew into the desert by Himself. He continued this practice of seeking solitude throughout the next few years. He drew strength and wisdom from the Father by communing with Him alone.

The spiritual discipline of solitude has many benefits. It takes away the external voices of influence. It quiets the mind. It creates space for God to speak.

During this season of Lent, take the opportunity to practice true solitude. Get away from everyone, even if it is only for a few hours. Turn off all your devices. Be alone with God.

This Lent, I want to approach Golgotha with a new awareness.

Deep in the soil at the foot of the Cross, where we find Our Lord’s most precious blood, sweat, and tears fallen to the earth, I want to ask for His grace, to plant myself and allow Him to nourish my heart where the soil of suffering has been commingled with His Most Precious Blood and Our Lady’s tears.

I pray that He would teach me how to make my own suffering and tears redemptive, rich with nutrients to grow my heart into a truly Christian heart.

I want to claim the promise of Jeremiah, when the Lord says: “I will set my eyes upon them for good…I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” (24:6-7)

Time and again I have come to the conclusion that self help is the best help and consequently shrunk away from taking help from others even in dire moments.

But the fifth station of the Way of the Cross always amazes me. A moment when divinity decided to take the help of a mere human—when Jesus allowed Himself to be helped by Simon to carry the Cross to Calvary. This reminds me that it’s okay to take help. In a world of self-sufficiency and self-reliance, we need to remember that in our way of the cross, we will need a Simon of Cyrene to hold the edge of our cross. And Jesus shows us that we shouldn’t shy away from taking that help. “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2.

The question is: “Are you willing to be a Simon of Cyrene to the one who reaches out to you?”

Lent reminds us of the need to repent and return to God’s mercy and love, but we are often clueless as to how to do it. There is so much darkness, sin, and filth, that it feels impossible to make a return journey. I am reminded of the “sinful woman” with the alabaster jar (Luke 7:36-50). All she had was a past life of sin, lots of shame, ridicule from everyone around, AND the alabaster jar. Amidst all the stink, the alabaster jar stands in stark contrast. So much strife and sin was ruling her life, but she found the strength to discover a fragrance that was placed within her when she was formed in her “mother’s womb” (Psalm 139). In the nothingness or abundance of our lives too, isn’t there a little goodness that we overlook? That nagging desire to do some good, that teeny disturbance after you do something wrong, an innate desire to have peace, a heart that is tired of all the strife in the world…? Do you realize that this goodness is a part of us, however hard we try to run away from His grasp?

If you feel ashamed of all the horrible things you repeatedly notice about yourself, this might be a good place to start. Look at that little goodness, and thank the Lord for it. Take yourself to Him, and tell him: “You placed this fragrance within me for a bigger purpose, but I have no idea what to do with it. Help me, Lord, to be who You want me to be.”

Let the fragrance spread, and listen to His soft voice telling you: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50) Jesus came to us because He accepts us in our emptiness and sin; just open yourself to that Love and He will help you rediscover your beauty!

Springlike weather motivates me to take a better look at my house. There’s something special about the spring sunlight that streams into our homes, exposing the areas that haven’t been cleaned deeply in a while. I feel a sense of lightness as I get out the cleaning products and get to work.

Can we look at Lent as an opportunity to do a deep clean of our hearts? We will surely discover a lot of places where we could grow.

The ‘deep-clean’ part is important though; I remember a time I went to a car wash that happened to include a detail job. I usually wash my own car by hand, so it was an amazing feeling to get back into a sparkling clean car, both inside and out. It hit me that day, that though I shower daily, my soul was in need of some deep cleaning.

I hadn’t been to confession in quite some time. A very thorough examination of conscience can be very fruitful. Where have I failed to love God and neighbor as I should? What are my sins of commission AND omission? I received the Sacrament of Reconciliation that weekend and stepped out of that confessional with a much lighter, joyful heart.

This morning, let us stop by Mary and Martha’s home, the day that Jesus visited them. The hot air from the oven fan and the aroma of fresh bread and herbs filled the household. Martha was muttering to herself whilst chopping up some carrots for the salad. Jesus noticed this and asked: “What’s wrong Martha?” She replied: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” (Luke 10:40)

Typical big sister act.

He called out: “…there is need of only one thing.”

This lent, amidst our fasts and almsgiving, Easter shopping and cleaning, let us take the time out to actually sit still with the Lord. He longs to be with us and oftentimes we get carried away with everything we need to do. But, it is not always about ‘doing.’ It is about ‘being’—being in the presence of the Lord. Maybe you find that silent space in an adoration chapel, or maybe it is in your car before work. In any case, like Mary, let us sit still at His feet and hear what He has to say to us.

How’s your Lenten resolution going? Have you—like many of us—already blown it? Are you ready to give up?

You are not alone. Developing a new habit is incredibly difficult for every adult. Although you want to make a change (go to daily Mass, stop swearing…), it seems impossible to get off the ground. Do not quit. Do not give up. Instead, take to heart this lesson.

Picture a tiny one learning to walk. She teeters, she wobbles and then she falls. But without a big deal she gets back on her feet and begins again. What matters in the end is not how many times she tumbles, but that each time she does, she begins again.

This Lent, expect to teeter and wobble and fall. When you do, ask Jesus to help you begin again. He waits by your side, reaching out to you. Put your hand in His. Make the effort. Become as His little child, and begin again as many times as it takes.

Suffering is a shared human experience, one that none of us can escape however hard we try. Often our pain and discomfort tempt us to turn inwards and focus on ourselves, but the Church offers a different lens. She and her many saints teach us that suffering signals us to look toward God AND towards other people.

God’s economy wastes nothing! Our suffering can easily become an intercessory prayer for others in need. “Lord, today I offer my pain as a prayer for ……. .” Even small inconveniences–changing a messy diaper, getting stuck in traffic, or our Lenten penance–can become a prayer for others.

An even deeper truth is that our suffering unites us with Jesus. Jesus was human–He suffered! If we direct our minds and hearts to Him, connecting our pain with His passion, the Lord who longs to encounter us amidst our suffering, offers us the intimacy of His Sacred Heart.

As we journey through another lent, let us joyfully accept the invitation of this penitential season–gaze outwards! Rich spiritual fruits await you.

I was driving home when I noticed two street signs that seemed incongruous. The train station and shop signs were pointing in the wrong directions; the exact opposite ones, to be precise. If I were a tourist, a traveler who is not familiar with the suburb, I would have followed the sign and got lost. I guess somebody had moved the street signs as a prank or even as an intentional deception.

In our walk with the Lord too, we need to know who is navigating us—God, ourselves, others, or the evil one. If we are not aware of our surroundings, we can easily get lost or misled. This Lent, whose voice will we listen to? Judas…the crowd…Pilate…or Jesus…?

If your sacrifices are dragging you down and causing you to dread Lent—take heart. Our Lady at Fatima gave the children a prayer which offers compelling reasons to sacrifice. Her words may help dispel your Lenten dreads.

The prayer begins: “O Jesus, it (this sacrifice I am making) is for love of You.” Why not borrow those words and make them your own? Telling Jesus you are doing this hard Lenten thing for love of Him may remind you why you are denying yourself in the first place: you are making room in your heart, so that you may love Him more.

Further, the prayer helped the children offer their sacrifices for “the conversion of sinners.” You can do the same. When you make a Lenten sacrifice, offer it for a specific loved one who is living far from God. “O Jesus, this is for love of You, for the conversion of……” Praying in Our Lady’s words will not lessen the difficulty of your sacrifices; but, because it sweetens them with love for Jesus and for lost souls, her words may truly help to dispel your Lenten dreads.

I am not one of those holy souls who look forward to Lent. However, I do have a few friends and family members who do. So, I try to take note of why that is the case.

Just last week, my mom mentioned she was looking forward to Lent so she could invite her band, who are all senior citizens, to her parish fish fry. She said she’s really looking forward to it, since most of them aren’t Catholic but have mentioned that they like attending fish fries. After enjoying their traditional fish and chips, my mom is planning on reserving a room in the parish hall so the band can make music together after dinner. They call themselves the Silver Foxes and often visit nursing homes together to spread a little joy. My mom is a joyful evangelist, even at age 80! And she has unlocked the secret that Lent is for more than making penitential acts, but it is a time for growing the Kingdom of God by growing the Body of Christ.