Lent is kind of a scary time, and even though I know there’s a light at the end of these forty days, it doesn’t make starting the journey any less intimidating. Choosing a Lenten sacrifice, trying to follow through with that Lenten sacrifice, and inevitably, at least in my case, screwing up somewhere along the line. Lent tends to shine a light on all of our flaws and sometimes I really hate that aspect of Lent, it is something I still struggle with because Lent is not intended to make me feel bad about myself.
Yet, facing this sinfulness inside us is an important part of Lent. We live in an imperfect world, one filled with sin and we are imperfect people. Turn on the news or read a paper and it is all too easy to find stories which highlight all the problems we face today. Spending time in prayer or reflecting on our day can also bring these problems into focus.
What this does though, or what I think it is supposed to do, is remind us how much we need God and how wonderful God’s love for us is. I overheard someone at Ash Wednesday Mass describe Lent as the start of a New Year or New Year’s resolutions gone religious. I know that only with God’s help can I keep my Lenten promises. Only with God can I do anything. I think Lent brings us back to God through this darkness.
So, I’ll leave you with two things. One, don’t be afraid of the dark part of Lent, this darkness is what brings us to the light, what shows us the light. Two, a song by Jon Foreman, of Switchfoot fame, entitled “Equally Skilled,” it is one of my favorites by him and I think it truly captures this aspect of Lent.
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