Lent for the Busy Person

You may be like me on the day before Lent, better known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in the US, and make a list of Lenten promises to God. This list will include sacrifices, prayers, activities, and other things you will give up or do for Lent. If you are like me this list starts out fairly large. Not to boast, but here is an example of what my first list looked like:

If you are having trouble deciphering my beautiful calligraphy, the list reads:

1. No fast food 2. Facebook only on Fridays (Adoration Friday of course) 3. Daily Scripture reading 4. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration" by Pope Benedict XVI and 30 day consecration ("33 days to Morning Glory" by Michael E. Gaitley) 5. Daily Rosary and Divine Chaplet 6. Daily Holy Hour (Eucharistic Adoration) 7. Gym three times per week.

You were probably chuckling by number four or five. What makes me chuckle is the line after the list which reads, "I think this is doable...." and then I add, "Also, praying more in Latin and Deutsch (German), and bed before 12am." To anyone counting, that is nine Lenten promises! Yes, nine! Sure, for a college student with a light course load this is possible, but I am not a college student with a light course load. You should have seen the reaction my spiritual director (Fr. Sean) had when I recited this list to him during my session with him. He had some good advice on how to refine this list. He broke it down into three categories (prayer, fasting, and alms giving). Here is my list following spiritual direction:

Again, my amazing calligraphy reads:

1. Prayer: a. Holy Hour three times per week minimum b. Daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy

2. Fasting: a. Facebook (one post per day [must be spiritual], and no more than one total hour surf time per day)

3. Alms giving: a. Volunteer three times during Lent

4. Spiritual Reading: a. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth" and 33 Days to Morning Glory

Again, looking back this is a jam packed Lent. Lent is supposed to be challenging, absolutely! Lent is a time to wrestle with our faults and find ways to eliminate or reduce them as we walk with Christ. I must admit, that I have not been proactive enough in following through in this refined list. I know that I could offer up three hours a week for Eucharistic Adoration. I already do an assigned hour on Fridays. I  know I could be reading the amazing work by Pope Benedict XVI instead of watching the WWE Network (which is awesome by the way). With work and prayer, I can commit to this list. Instead of volunteering, I have given money to Harvest for Hunger instead almost each time that I buy something at work. Since I seem to go two weeks to a month with out a day off, finding time to volunteer is difficult, so I made an adjustment.

At this point you may be wondering when I'm going to come up with ideas for you the busy person. The idea is this; make your initial list, reflect on your daily duties, and then discuss this list with friends, family, or a priest. You will find that you can refine this list and still have a fruitful Lent. Lent is not simply about abstaining from things. Lent is about spiritual growth. The goal is to come up with a list of things that will help you grow spiritually. Our relationship with Christ and his Church matters, and Lent is a time to get back to the basics. These basics, as Fr. Sean (my spiritual director/Confessor) puts it, are prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Find one thing that you can do or sacrifice in each of these categories, and Lent will be a fruitful one for you.

God knows our lives better than we do. God knows we are busy. Let us not feel guilty for having to trim our Lenten promises down to size. Let us, instead, be joyful that we are seeking a closer relationship with our Lord and his Bride, the Church. Lent is my favorite time of the year for this reason. I am so glad the Church has set aside a time to reflect, pray, and sacrifice to draw closer to God. Let us march forward toward Christ.

Here is a simple list you might be able to implement if you are having trouble:

1. Prayer: 10-15 minutes of prayer each day. Doing this around meal times is a good way to set aside time for it. Before bed is also a good time. Go to Confession more frequently.

2. Fasting: Limit social media time or Internet time to 1-3 posts per day if you are a frequent user. Or limit TV time to 1-2 hours a day if you watch a lot of TV. Do a good fast on Fridays (one meal and two smaller meals or snacks that do not add up to the one meal), or go 24 hours without eating (health permitting).

3. Alms giving: Pick a ministry and donate your time, money, or other resources throughout Lent. At Walgreen's they are supporting Harvest for Hunger. I simply add $1, $5, or $10 (on paydays) to my bill. This is a quick easy way to help feed the hungry.

I hope this list helps. Sometimes when it comes to our spiritual lives, less indeed is more if our mind, body, and soul are fully invested. I pray you have a blessed Lenten season. Please pray for me as I seek to better fulfill my Lenten promises. Please continue to pray for peace, especially in Ukraine and Venezuela. Let us be a witness to the love which conquers all. Credo Domine.