Season of Change
As you know, Lent is a season of change. Beginning with repentance, it is a season of prayer, fasting and the study of Scripture. It is a time to literally and intentionally turn from our worldly ways and return to God. It is a time to start over. St. Benedict would often suggest that life is all about “beginning again.” Whether it is a new day, a new week, a new month or a new year, we have the chance to start over and begin again.
We serve a God of mercy and grace whose desire is to be in communion with us and we with him. Therefore, His nature is to be in constant pursuit of us stopping at nothing to be connected. The issue lies with us. Our human nature is easily distracted, and we consciously and subconsciously allow other things to take God’s place. Lent is a time for us to re-center and reboot ourselves.
The hardest part of our spiritual journey is breaking certain patterns of behavior or habits that have kept us from God. This is not easy. For many of us, we tend to fall off the proverbial Lenten wagon within hours if not days after we begin. The truth is that we judge ourselves much harder than we should. When this happens, rather than feeling guilty and full of shame, we should forgive ourselves and start again. After all, God is a God who loves completely and forgives quickly. Understanding our need for God and His example of grace is our starting point.
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you; I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord. into your hand I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands, without reserve
and with boundless confidence.
For you are my Father.
Charles de Foucauld
