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The season of Lent is always hit or miss for me. I typically jump in wholeheartedly with really good intentions, and then somewhere in the journey my zeal dwindles and I finish not as dedicated as when I began. During the Holy Triduum, I find myself begging for God’s mercy to make up for my lack of faithfulness and praying for the joy of Easter to fill me. I know that the Lord is always faithful to make up for where we are lacking, but I long for this Lent to be different—I long to be faithful to the Lord, remaining with Him in the desert and not abandoning Him for temporary pleasures. It’s so easy to be distracted in such a noisy world, and sadly all too often I am quick to chase after the next promise of instant gratification: that show on Netflix, mindless scrolling on social media, or finding a sweet snack to munch on. Of course, watching a show, staying connected with others through Facebook, or enjoying a bowl of ice cream are not inherently bad, but if I’m honest, I probably often misuse these things.
This Lent, I’m learning that if I want to have my best Lent ever, it has to be my most honest Lent ever. It’s important to ask the question of why I turn to these things, and if I’m honest, I often use these temporal pleasures as an escape from reality when things are hard. And while I am pursuing things that are empty, all the while the Lord is knocking at the door of my heart and inviting me closer to Him. Yet so often I miss the mark and settle for the substitute. This Lent, I am paying more attention to the facets of my heart and asking myself over and over again, “Is this tug in my heart (toward one thing or another) from the Lord or from the enemy?” When I recognize that my desire to spend endless hours on my phone is not of the Lord, God is giving me the grace to reject that pull right away and to turn to Him to receive His love instead.
As we walk through Lent together as a parish family, I’m encouraged by the #sparkyourspirit movement. The Church reminds us that it is in this desert place that the Lord comes to fill us, and in the end, our job is to receive ALL that He wants to give us. We will find the Lord, who is the More that we long for, in the sacraments, in adoration, in community, in Holy Scripture, in prayer, and in silence. Let us return to Him with honest hearts and allow Him to lead us on this Lenten journey. When Easter comes, may our hearts be ready to receive the glory of His resurrection.
-Rebecca Paiz, Co-High School Faith Formation Director