We began with all the joy of our heart this marvelous and blessed time that is called the season of Lent, time of grace of God for us. Some persons see this Lenten season as a heavy thing, as a time of much sacrifice, pain and sadness. But in truth, this is not true. This time leads us to the time of grace that helps us to reflect and meditate on the deep marvels of our faith towards the light of the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today is an invitation for us to return to silence, to meditation, to detachment, to conversion, that consists in the true change of heart and mind. This is the penitence that we are called to live during this time. And, therefore, we see so many persons during these days “tear” their clothes, but we cannot do this. What we do today is to tear our hearts for God and to say “Lord, we want to be entirely yours, entirely give our life into your hands.”
The way for the season of Lent, proposed by the Church, is based on three elements of the faith and of religion: fasting, almsgiving and prayer. Fasting, for we cannot be slaves to food, nor can we be slaves to pleasures and instincts, on the contrary, we need to feed ourselves well, but without forgetting the millions of people in the world that are hungry. Therefore, when we know to deny ourselves some food, for some sacrifice for union with God, we are affirming that God is first in our life and not the food that we have.
Almsgiving, because we translate almsgiving to “charity”, to care for the other, to give away that which is ours in favor of those that do not have, those that suffer more and are more needy. As is important to know to share that which we have, therefore, almsgiving is tied to fasting. It is more than only allowing ourselves to eat, it is to need to keep what we don’t eat or we deny ourselves and share with those that do not have. It is necessary that we concern ourselves and care for the other that suffers and needs us.
However, fasting and almsgiving should be guided through prayer, through our personal relationship with God to return to our interior for speaking with the Father. Prayer made in the intimacy of our room, prayer in which our heart is completely returned to Our God.
That this time of Lent helps us to live a propitious time of conversion, of grace, of change of mentality, of habits and behavior! If we practice these elements: prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we live with an intensity in our soul, Lent will be a time of grace of blessing in our life.
God bless you!
Fr. Roger Araujo