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Reflections On Call

A Reflection on Lent

I am sure if they took a poll on one’s favorite liturgical season Lent would most likely not come out on top. In most cases Lent is viewed a sort of a downer. As Ash Wednesday approached I began to reflect on what Lent is really all about. I must honestly admit that while growing up I never thought too highly of Lent. I always associated Lent with three things: having to give up something, not eating meat on Friday, and collecting change in a cardboard box. Over time I began to view Lent as a huge inconvenience and really began to question its importance. However I began to realize that I was missing out on something. Sure, my health benefitted from not eating sweets and junk food for forty days and I am sure some benefit came from the change I collected, however until recently, I seemed to neglect the spiritual side of Lent. I have a good feeling that I was not alone. For the most part I was going through what I refer as the Lenten motions and totally missed out on the bigger picture of the season . What good does going through the motions do if we gain nothing substantial from it? So I realized that while following tradition is beneficial to our Lenten experience there is much more to the season that we sometimes miss out on. Lent is truly a special time of the year. It is a time that allows us to reflect on our lives and the relationships that impact our lives. It is a time of deep prayer in which we make a difficult spiritual journey in hopes that we can improve our lives, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God.

During Lent we are often reminded that we are all sinners, which of course is something that many people would prefer not to hear. But regardless of whether or not we want to hear it Lent is time for us to face that reality. Lent is a time to examine our personal lives in a critical way in an effort to gain insight about how we can improve our lives. Of course this is no easy task and most of us would prefer not to look upon our weaknesses. Most people do not take criticism lightly even if it is coming from ourselves. Unfortunately, though, sometimes we are blinded by our own arrogance and we refuse to see any fault in our actions, or we try justifying our wrongdoing even if it involves being untruthful to ourselves and others. However, if we are truly going to make a positive change during this Lenten season we must take an honest look at lives. If we let our arrogance take a hold of us and refuse to acknowledge our faults then how can we change our lives for the better and how can we enter into a deeper relationship with God? As we make our spiritual journey we must not be afraid to look deep within ourselves, face our faults, and seek forgiveness.

As we make our Lenten journey we must also give attention to the different relationships in our lives especially those which have been broken or strained. The relationships we create throughout our lives help to define our lives. Sometimes, however, despite all the time and effort we spend building a relationship it can be damaged within a moment. It is when we examine our relationships that our arrogance usually gets the best of us. It is easy for us to push all the blame on the other party. In some cases we refuse to seek reconciliation and feel that the burden falls fully on the other. Of course there are also some cases where we even tell ourselves that we cannot forgive. But is there something we can truly not forgive? Is there something that God will not forgive? One thing that is truly amazing about God is God’s willingness to forgive us no matter what we do. Just as God and others are willing to forgive us for our wrongdoings we must be willing to forgive others. If we fail to forgive we will never be at peace for we will continue to hold that grudge with us. Forgiveness is the key to healing broken relationships. We must always be willing to both seek forgiveness as well as offer forgiveness.

As we journey through Lent we must remember that we do not make this journey alone. Jesus makes the journey beside us just as he made his own journey 2000 years ago. During Lent we are reminded of the struggles that Christ encountered in his journey on earth which included rejection, temptation, betrayal, humility, and ultimately death on a cross. Although our Lenten journey may be difficult, it will be a journey that brings us closer to Christ and will allow us to renew our relationship with Him. So during this Lent I would encourage you to take this opportunity to expand your prayer life and truly open your heart to the Lord.

by Joe Quane

Joe is a 2009 CoC alumnus and a graduate from Loyola University in Chicago. He is currently working at the Chicago Board of Trade.

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Reflections On Call