The paradox of Lent

Today marks the beginning of a new season of Lent. Many people see Lent as a dreary time of the year and in truth it’s not much fun doing stuff like fasting, abstaining from meat, giving little things up, and making more time for prayer, but at the same time it is one of my favorite times of the year. When it comes right down to it all those Lenten things we Catholics do serve one goal: growing closer to God. Of course we can do this any time of the year in many ways, but Lent is a season that challenges us and this is something I usually need. Life gets so hectic and busy that it’s easy for me to let my relationship with God take a back seat. Just as a married couple who don’t take time to spend together gradually grow apart, so does my relationship with the Lord.

I once heard a priest say in a homily, “We are always either growing closer to God or further away from him. Which way are you moving?” This challenged me and really stuck with me. I realized that it doesn’t matter where we are currently at in our Faith life as much as direction in which we are moving. So Lent is a time for me to push my self a little bit more and to see what is keeping me from growing closer to God. It’s a time of spiritual pruning which can be painful but is so important to my Faith journey. That’s the paradox of Lent.