Bringing Lent to Work
Lent continues. Each day at work, at some point, do you feel the "presence" of Lent?
Perhaps you've decided to put aside your aversion to certain tasks you have to perform each day that you really don't enjoy. You tackle them promptly, even with a cheerful spirit. You thoroughly perform those tasks to the best of your ability and each time any thought or feeling of distaste for the task, or perhaps resentment that you have to perform this particular task, rises up, you suppress it with a short prayer. You work for the greater glory of God, after all, not your own glory, right?
Perhaps you've decided to wait a few extra minutes after saying grace to eat your lunch. In those two or three minutes after you completed your thanksgiving for your meal, your thoughts turn to God, to your Savior who suffered and died so that you could enjoy an everlasting joyful life with Him in Heaven. Maybe you've decided to observe partial abstinence by eating meat only once a day (except Fridays, when, of course, no meat is allowed) and the lack of meat at lunch reminds you that it's Lent and provides the opportunity to turn your mind and heart to God. Or maybe you voluntarily observe on additional days the fast that is required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, where no two meals may in aggregate add up to your main meal and where you don't eat between meals. This may present a bit of a burden at work, especially if you're in the habit of snacking to keep up your energy during the day. But you do it anyway, and those little hunger pangs remind you it's Lent, and so turn your mind to God, at least for a brief moment.
What have you decided to do, in this spirit of sacrifice, during Lent? Do your Lenten observances occur during work? Can you see where the presence of Lenten sacrifice during working time helps us to observe Lent better, indeed helps us to be in the presence of God even in the midst of a busy day. And when you remember that our sacrifices are meant to draw us nearer to God, don't such sacrifices come alive in sense, and wake your soul from that state of slumber we can easily slip into in a world of comfort and distraction?
We're not even half way through Lent. If you haven't been observing Lent well, or if your observances don't extend into your work day, there's still plenty of time left. Of course, these are just the suggestions of a layman. I'm no spiritual director; rather I just share my thoughts and experience with you as we work our way through Lent. But consider these little sacrifices that bring us closer to God at work. I think they're in the true spirit of Lent.
And when Lent finally ends, perhaps some of these sacrifices will work their way into your work day, at least from time to time. Again, their purpose will be to help you grow closer to God. They're not meant to show yourself how strong or disciplined you are, or what a great guy you are.
We were created to know, love and serve God, not to spend our time primping ourselves, body and soul, to prove what wonderful Catholics we are. Lent helps us turn away from ourselves toward God. And, for most of us, it will be in the little things we do each day that help us learn to know, love and serve God better, day by day.
I hope and pray your Lenten observances profit you greatly. Let's pray for each other during this Holy Season. And let's not forget to pray for our pope emeritus Benedict XVI. I know he prays for us.
Perhaps you've decided to put aside your aversion to certain tasks you have to perform each day that you really don't enjoy. You tackle them promptly, even with a cheerful spirit. You thoroughly perform those tasks to the best of your ability and each time any thought or feeling of distaste for the task, or perhaps resentment that you have to perform this particular task, rises up, you suppress it with a short prayer. You work for the greater glory of God, after all, not your own glory, right?
Perhaps you've decided to wait a few extra minutes after saying grace to eat your lunch. In those two or three minutes after you completed your thanksgiving for your meal, your thoughts turn to God, to your Savior who suffered and died so that you could enjoy an everlasting joyful life with Him in Heaven. Maybe you've decided to observe partial abstinence by eating meat only once a day (except Fridays, when, of course, no meat is allowed) and the lack of meat at lunch reminds you that it's Lent and provides the opportunity to turn your mind and heart to God. Or maybe you voluntarily observe on additional days the fast that is required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, where no two meals may in aggregate add up to your main meal and where you don't eat between meals. This may present a bit of a burden at work, especially if you're in the habit of snacking to keep up your energy during the day. But you do it anyway, and those little hunger pangs remind you it's Lent, and so turn your mind to God, at least for a brief moment.
What have you decided to do, in this spirit of sacrifice, during Lent? Do your Lenten observances occur during work? Can you see where the presence of Lenten sacrifice during working time helps us to observe Lent better, indeed helps us to be in the presence of God even in the midst of a busy day. And when you remember that our sacrifices are meant to draw us nearer to God, don't such sacrifices come alive in sense, and wake your soul from that state of slumber we can easily slip into in a world of comfort and distraction?
We're not even half way through Lent. If you haven't been observing Lent well, or if your observances don't extend into your work day, there's still plenty of time left. Of course, these are just the suggestions of a layman. I'm no spiritual director; rather I just share my thoughts and experience with you as we work our way through Lent. But consider these little sacrifices that bring us closer to God at work. I think they're in the true spirit of Lent.
And when Lent finally ends, perhaps some of these sacrifices will work their way into your work day, at least from time to time. Again, their purpose will be to help you grow closer to God. They're not meant to show yourself how strong or disciplined you are, or what a great guy you are.
We were created to know, love and serve God, not to spend our time primping ourselves, body and soul, to prove what wonderful Catholics we are. Lent helps us turn away from ourselves toward God. And, for most of us, it will be in the little things we do each day that help us learn to know, love and serve God better, day by day.
I hope and pray your Lenten observances profit you greatly. Let's pray for each other during this Holy Season. And let's not forget to pray for our pope emeritus Benedict XVI. I know he prays for us.
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