Last week in my parish, during a discussion in one of the adult formation classes, the question was asked generally, \u201cWhat are you giving up for Lent.\u201d For whatever reason, I mentally had a visceral reaction to this. I was so averse to this that I was going through an almost \u201cLitany of the Pharisee\u201d to the question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I am going through this mental litany of my woes, and why should I, as a primarily isolated widower, need any more penance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then it hit me that \u201cWow do I need to kick up my Lenten penance a notch.\u201d My plans for the upcoming Lent were minimal. I had been settling for \u201cgood enough\u201d when it wasn\u2019t. A Pharisee exceptionalism that those rules don\u2019t apply to me, but you sinners! My plans for Lent could only be described as acedia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My plans for Lent now have a little more bite to them. I was thinking about what goods I need to be more detached from. This is like a multiple choice question with a slew of answers and \u201cAll of the above\u201d is the correct answer. Still, I had had big plans for Lent before and failed miserably at achieving what I wanted\u2014how dare reality teach me humility! So I am trying to start with a \u201cwhen I fall, let Jesus pick me up\u201d attitude and not attempt this with my own will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another reaction to this question is that it is such a poorly phrased question. It focuses on the means but not the meaning. I would probably be annoyed if somebody asked me, \u201cWhat are your plans for growing closer to Jesus this Lent?\u201d but that is the right question. We can be more closely focused on the deprivations and not the goal. \u201cNo pain, no gain\u201d might be trite, but it applies even more to the spiritual life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I am ready for Lent to start and for reality to attempt to teach me humility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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