Strategy 1: Sacrifice for Love & Solidarity

You’ll hear many Catholic teachers tell you that you don’t need to make a Lenten sacrifice. Now, the hearts of these teachers is in the right place. They are trying to combat the error of minimalism – the attitude that says, “What’s the least I need to do to be a ‘good’ Catholic?” Too many Catholics use the Lenten sacrifice as a legalistic minimum, without exploring the depths of its meaning and purpose. So Catholic teachers are telling people to skip the sacrifice, and instead to do something more meaningful. But the Church gives us the Lenten sacrifice for good reason! Don’t skip it. Enter into its full meaning instead.

Lent has traditionally been the major time of preparation for those entering the Church. Your parish may have RCIA candidates who go through a series of special ceremonies (like the “Rite of Acceptance)”) and blessings. Traditionally Lent has been a time of sacrificial penance for adults entering the Church. They went through some rather “harsh” penances in order to turn away from their old life and embrace their new life in Jesus. Christians within the Church would often voluntarily take on penances during this season as well, in loving support and solidarity with those seeking entrance into the Church. Like many practices, this one moved from a voluntary act of love to a routine tradition. Through the years the focus shifted from solidarity with the catechumens to a personal act of purification and penance. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this shift in focus, except that minimalism has stolen even that bit of meaning from us.

Strategy 2: Start a New Spiritual Habit

In place of the Lenten sacrifice, many Catholic teachers are encouraging Catholics to do something “positive” that will help them draw closer to God. This might be going to weekday Mass, spending extra time in prayer, or reaching out to those in need. Again, there is nothing wrong with this advice . . . as far as it goes. But if we want to truly honor the purpose of Lent, we want to go beyond merely performing a “positive” action during the 40 days of the season.

Instead, let’s use these 40 days to try to draw our everyday lives back into God’s presence.

Strategy 3: Lenten Prayer & Quiet Reflection

Even while we’re establishing habits that extend beyond Lent, we also honor Lent as a special season in the Church year. A great way to do that is to create a more reflective and prayerful atmosphere in your home. The atmosphere in our home can help our entire family remember that we’re in a special season. It can also encourage more silence, reflection and prayer.