Lent: Time for a spiritual checkup

Many people get a yearly physical to check their health status and to learn how they can improve their health. Lent is a good time to get a yearly spiritual checkup and to do those things we need to do to deepen our relationship with God.

Traditionally, the Church recommends three Lenten disciplines to renew our spiritual life: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Of course, these exercises are not just for Lent, but are an integral part of our spiritual lives.

First of all, prayer should be a continual part of every Christian’s life. It is an important way to communicate with God. In Lent we are called to examine our prayer life. Upon examination we might discover we don’t really pray or that our prayer simply amounts to an Our Father or a Hail Mary once in awhile. Lent is a good time to find ways that will help us deepen our prayer life. It might be as simple as setting a daily time for prayer, even 15 minutes, and sticking to it even when Lent is over. Those who already pray regularly might look for new ways to enhance their prayer life. They could go to Mass an extra day a week, read some Scripture daily to learn more about Jesus, or make a retreat or spend a day in reflection. Even better, one could join a faith-sharing group or start one.

The second discipline of Lent is fasting. We can fast from meat or food, but there are other ways to fast that might be more beneficial to our spiritual life. I remember a Lenten prayer about fasting and feasting I gave to students while serving as a campus minister. It suggested that we fast from judging others and feast on the Christ dwelling in them; fast from pessimism and feast on optimism; fast from complaining and feast on appreciation; fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness; fast from self-concern and feast on concern and compassion for others; fast from discontent and feast on gratitude.

Finally, during Lent we should focus on almsgiving. Almsgiving traditionally means to give food or money to those less fortunate than we are. Some of us do not have money or food to share, but that should not stop us. Another and sometimes more meaningful way to give alms is to give of our time and love to the poor and needy. Perhaps we can volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen, or visit lonely people in nursing homes. Think about other ways you might serve others. And, hopefully, that service won’t end on Easter Sunday.

Lent is a time of metanoia, from the Greek word metanoein, which means to change one’s mind. It is a time of spiritual awakening — to change what needs to be changed to make one a better disciple of Christ. Lent gives us another chance. Take the opportunity.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, browse our “Living the Faith” archive to read some of Sister Margie’s past reflections.