Why do I only stumble upon that lost and forgotten candy bar on Ash Wednesday? I feel like those old cartoons of the man on the desert island who starts to see his friends like a pot roast. Even my key chain looks yummy.
We have entered into Lent, our communal retreat in preparation for Easter. Fasting and abstinence mark Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. No-meat Fridays, Stations of the Cross and a parish-wide faith renewal are upon us.
Why do we fast, pray, and give during Lent? http://youtu.be/m3L3c23MfC0 By giving something up, making a sacrifice or doing something extra we realize our dependence on God. During my fasting on Ash Wednesday I thought about only having one meal a day at my disposal. I remembered the single-mindedness of hunger. I tried to turn that hunger towards God, while holding in prayer my brothers and sisters who hunger every day.
Through pray we uncover our holy longing for God. We were created for union with God and prayer is a reminder of our true home. Through giving we recall that we never walk this journey alone and that it is through community that we live as the Body of Christ.
Repentance, renewal and community are the ways that we fast, pray, and give. If you haven’t already, take a moment to reflect on your Lenten promises and enter into this season of the joy of the cross.
Peace in Christ,
Sr. Sarah
