Some Encouragement For Lent

Today we enter into the season of Lent.

Personally, I feel like Lent has snuck up on me very quickly. This time of year is so busy and hectic, and I almost feel unprepared to enter into this season. I feel unready. My mind is cluttered and overwhelmed. Christ is not always the complete center of my life. I am struggling with prayer. I am no where near worthy to approach the hope of the Resurrection.

Isn’t that the point though?

We are not perfect. Time and again, we fail to prioritize Jesus and His love. None of us pray as much as we could. The entire point of this liturgical season is to draw nearer to Christ, though. He invites us into His mercy, and let go of the things holding us back from Him.

We are not called to mortify ourselves or suffer endlessly during Lent, but we are called to take necessary measures in order to allow Christ to consume us more than anything else does. And, while it can be easy to attempt to approach Lenten sacrifices with our own will and strength, Jesus invites us to become little and rely on Him.

The purpose of this season is not to prove that we are worthy of Christ’s sacrifice. We do not have to work to demonstrate that we are devout followers of Jesus. We are merely called to unite ourselves to Jesus on the Cross, opening our hearts to His perfection and fulfillment. Perfect sacrifices do not need to be made. Poetic prayers do not need to be prayed. We do not need to sell all of our belongings. Our God delights in us just as we are, and He yearns for us to use this season as a time to accept His love and live with it outpouring from our hearts.

So, my friend, if you, too, are encountering some sense of discouragement as this season begins, know you are not alone. On top of that, know that your Lenten preparations will not alter Jesus’ thirst for your soul. His love is not altered by the extremity of your sacrifices. His will is not deferred by your lack of readiness. Instead, His grace is pouring forth into your brokenness. His bountiful love is embracing your heart. He is offering you abundant fruit, you just have to become small enough to accept it.

Chances are, your soul needs Lent. We all need this time to rend our hearts to pray and fast. We all need to be filled with His rich mercy and tender goodness. After all we have gone through, we are in dire need of His restoration and consolation. So, be washed in His mercy this Lent. Take advantage of the Sacraments. Lay down your troubles at the foot of the Cross. Be still in His presence. Take a break from striving and allow Jesus to carry you to holiness.

Photo by Thays Orrico on Unsplash