Lent - a Time of Renewal

Fr. Will Wuenschel

For some mysterious reason, everyone seems to love Lent. Catholics and non-Catholics, Christians, and non-believers, even self-professed fallen away Catholics, are drawn into the mystery of Lent. Lent is a time to examine our lives and make a sacrifice of ourselves. These two aspects of Lent make us feel alive. I think that is why everyone loves Lent; it gives us a sense of purpose and renews our soul. 

God has created us in such a way that we have an unrelenting need for self-reflection. This generous gift of our ability to reflect on our interior lives is one way in which we are “made in the image of God.” (see Gen 1:27 & Wisdom 2:23) Other creatures cannot do self-reflection, but God graces us with this gift. I invite you this Lent to make a thorough interior reflection. In Genesis, God asks Adam in the garden, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9b) This question God asks us during Lent; where are you in relationship to God? Another good question to reflect on is to ask, “God, what do you desire for my life at this time.” The young people hear time and again, “What do you want to be when you grow up? But they are rarely asked, what do you think God wants you to be. We sometimes need to change our interior dialogue and start asking God’s plan for us rather than our dreams. I encourage you to take some substantial time in reflection this Lent. 

Lent also is a time of self-sacrifice. You will hear the time and again people asking, what did you give up for Lent? Giving up something is built into the DNA of Catholics. I recently had a fallen-away Catholic who I know has not gone to church for 20 + years, but he told me what he was giving up for Lent. Catholicism is ingrained into our very being. Once you are Catholic, you are always Catholic. In the old baptism ritual, the priest said, “I claim you for Christ our Savior.” (See Ritual for Baptism) Christ claims our soul in baptism, and an unbreakable bond is formed with the Lord. We continuously grow in our relationship with the Lord by imitating his self-sacrifice on the Holy Cross. We mysteriously love Lent because we love becoming closer to the Lord and do so by entering into His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. 

May your Lenten reflection and self sacrifice bring you into a deeper intimacy with the Lord. I pray that you and I will grow in holiness this Lent. May our sacrifices bring us and our world closer to God.

Peace,
Fr. Will