A Wholehearted Lent

On Ash Wednesday, the prophet Joel helps set the direction for Lent. “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart…Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord your God” (Joel 2:12-13). Lent is all about the conversion of our hearts. God wants our heart, the whole of it. His love for us is so great that it demands a huge, fitting response.

For Christians, Jesus takes the lead on asking for this response. After the Resurrection, Jesus prepares a very purposeful encounter with Peter and poses the question, “Peter, do you love me?” When asked by the Pharisee about the greatest commandment, Jesus responds, “You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt 22: 37). Jesus profoundly desires to draw us up into and allow us to share deeply in the love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love” (Jn 15:9). Lent is a matter of the heart.

What is keeping you from falling more deeply in love with Jesus? What is keeping you from passing on that love to your neighbor? These questions should guide your plan for Lent.

Traditionally, the Church invites us to embrace a three-fold plan for this season of renewal and conversion of heart: prayer, fasting and alms-giving (charity). I wholeheartedly agree with that strategy.

Prayer

You can’t love another being, including God, without spending quality time with them. Prayer is principally spending time with God. You can’t love Him if you do not carve time out of your day to spend with Him in both personal and communal prayer. It makes great sense to choose to add some form of prayer each day in Lent in order to grow in love with the God who longs to be united to you—through the Scriptures, the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance, personal devotions or the Rosary.

Fasting

Fasting provides the opportunity to grow in discipline and virtue. The sad reality is that we are weak, short-sighted and prone to selfishness. Fasting from things both good for us or bad for us helps us build the discipline to say “yes” to the things of God and “no” to those things that draw us away from God. Discipline is required for good health, a sharp mind, emotional maturity and spiritual growth. Add some form of fasting to your cart for Lent.

Almsgiving

Almsgiving is also essential to Lent. Almsgiving is a channel of God’s grace in our lives. It is in giving that we receive. It is in loving that we are loved. It is in emptying ourselves that we become rich. Almsgiving takes the focus off of ourselves and prevents Lent from being one more method of self-improvement. Almsgiving enables us to imitate Christ who came not to be served but to serve. Make time to intentionally give of yourself to members of your family, the poor, the lonely, the young or someone else God puts on your heart.

I shall finish by inviting you again to ask yourself the tough question, “What is the principle thing that is keeping me from falling more deeply in love with Jesus?” Be radically honest with yourself. Allow that authentic response to shape what you do for God this Lent.