I lit my candle and opened my journal. It was time to prayerfully consider my plan for Lent. Eager to enter into Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection with intentionality, I wanted to make these forty days count.
As I began to write, a flood of ideas rushed onto the page. So many thoughts about all the things I “should” be doing anyway. And if I could just make them holy habits during Lent, then maybe they would remain part of my life well into Easter and beyond.
Getting Overwhelmed by Lent
But as I reviewed what I wrote, something didn’t feel right. Seeing all the ways I was lacking and how much there was to do to grow in holiness, a wave of overwhelm washed over me.
At the same time, I felt a sense of familiarity, like I was right back where I was in past years, when I approached Lent as this idealistic time to make up for lost time. I reflected with a chuckle, as I recalled other years when I made a similar plan to increase prayer, detach by decluttering my entire home, grow in all the virtues, and take time to finish reading the stack of spiritual books on my nightstand. All in just six short weeks.
And while I acknowledged the good in each of these ideas for Lent, I also remembered that the purpose of Lent is not to accomplish a bunch of holy tasks, checking them off like items on a to-do list. The purpose of Lent is to grow closer to Jesus, and whatever I “do” during this penitential season ought to be done out of love for Him.
Taking the Simple Path
I took a deep breath and began again, this time turning to the Lord and asking Him, “What do You want me to do this Lent, Lord? What do You want to do in me?”
Immediately, I was reminded of something I read in And You Will Find Rest by Father Wayne Sattler. In chapter one, Father talks about “the ordinary path to holiness” as “the preferred method. If our souls are set on something extraordinary, it will be difficult for us to be led by Our Lord into His rest” (18).
In other words, “[i]f the path to enter into His rest were marked off by an extraordinary method of prayers and penances, we would all likely be scampering over one another to do exactly what was laid out, step-by-step. Well, since the ordinary path is a much simpler one, to ‘be still and know that I am God’ (Ps. 46:11), ‘all the more should we do as they have said’” (18-19; also see 2 Kings 5:13).
Applied to Lent, doing something ordinary is also the preferred way. It frees me from the clutter of numerous Lenten “to-dos” and invites me to “be still” and draw near to Jesus, as He enters into His Passion.
Drawing Near to Jesus
As this simple, ordinary approach to Lent resonated in my soul, Jesus’ words came to mind: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Matthew 11:29).
Applying this Scripture to Lent, we can learn from the Lord by taking to heart what He said about three pillars that now comprise the season of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus instructs us to pray, fast, and give alms in a particular way—in secret—saying, “And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” By praying, fasting, and giving alms in secret, we practice one way to be “meek and humble of heart,” like Jesus. It is as if He is saying, “Take the ordinary path. That of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. That’s where you will find Me and what I have to show you this Lent.”
Is it really that simple? Yes, I think it is. I am the one who wants to overcomplicate Lent. I am the one who is tempted to dismiss going back to the basics of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as if they are too easy. When in fact, what I—what we all—need to do is embrace the simplicity of Lent in order to find its deep meaning. Then, we will see the depth Jesus can take us in our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. And then, we will realize that no high expectation we create for ourselves is better than simply being in the presence of our Lord—being still, learning from Him, and finding rest in His love.
Finding Encouragement in Scripture
In addition to Matthew 6:1-18, below are nine Bible verses to keep our minds and hearts at rest as we pray, fast, and give alms this Lent.
Prayer //
The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. // Psalm 145:18
When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. // Jeremiah 29:12-13
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. // John 15:7
Fasting //
I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. // Daniel 9:3
[R]eturn to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. // Joel 2:12
Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. // Matthew 9:15
Almsgiving //
Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. // Tobit 12:8-9
It is good for the man gracious in lending, who conducts his affairs with justice. [. . .] Lavishly he gives to the poor; his righteousness shall endure forever. // Psalm 112:5,9
Seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. // Matthew 6:33
How have you been called to pray, fast, and give alms this Lent? How have you grown closer to the Lord through these pillars of Lent?
Sarah Damm is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a Catholic wife and mother of six children, living in Minnesota. She spends her days running errands, helping with homework, and keeping up with laundry and the family schedule. Sarah loves her faith, coffee, and good books. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Sarah's posts here.
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