February 11, 2024
The season of Lent begins this coming week, and to be quite honest, the thought of it both excites and intimidates me.
I love knowing that God can use these next 40 days to spiritually “clean house,” so to speak, if I open-up my heart and life for Him to do just that – renew me. Opportunities to pray more, engage with Scripture, make the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings, and/or fast from something we enjoy in order to learn the value of sacrifice and overcome indifference can give each of us a chance to re-charge and help us respond more fully to the grace of God that is always present to us.
And yet, the new beginning also frightens me. It means that I must take a good look at myself, enter the desert of my own brokenness, and look for the ways in which our Lord is challenging me to replace sin and selfishness with Him alone. To be honest, it is sometimes easier to stay in the muck and pretend everything is okay, isn’t it?
But we can’t, not if we really want to be the authentic person and Church community God has called us to be. Beginning this Ash Wednesday, we get a chance to be challenged once again to live the Gospel message of Christ more fully and radically.
Are you up for the challenge?