New Life

“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice...” 

Psalm 50:14

Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. I am trying to decide what to give up and what positive thing to do for the 40 days of preparation for Easter Sunday. Some give up Facebook, chocolates, coffee, meat, Netflix, etc. Others decide to go to at least one daily mass a week aside from Sunday mass, to follow a Lenten Bible study like Genesis to Jesus by St. Paul Center, or the 40acts challenge. I was thinking of doing a personal Bible study of the mass to deepen my understanding and appreciation of it. There is no dearth of material to help us prepare for Easter Sunday. 

Lent comes from the Old English word ‘lencten’ which means springtime. If we are serious about our fasting, prayer and alms-giving, I am sure we will find a new springtime in our relationship with the Lord. Indeed the best kind of fasting is if we replace our impatience, complaints, selfishness, and unforgiveness with gratitude and praise. And if we give up something, like a cup of coffee, we can save up the money and generously give it to someone in jail, the hospital, an old age home, or a kid on the street. 

Whatever time and money we give to the Lord, we will find that He is generous and gives back with interest! Just as in spring, trees and plants that lost their leaves during winter, begin to thrive and grow new leaves, we too will find new life during Lent.