A 1st Sunday of Lent Splash of Cold Water in Our Faces

Let's splash some spiritual cold water in our faces for this 1st Sunday of Lent. It should help us uncork our special spiritual discipline, if we haven't gotten off the ground yet.

Recall again the three key components of our keeping a good Lent. They're traditionally called the Three Pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. Each should hold a place in our daily activities as we work our way towards Our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

For those of us who haven't written out or at least mentally notched their Lenten plan, here are some simple suggestions to get that done pronto:

Prayer: Since we already pray each day, find some special prayer of prayers for Lent. A baseline might be the simple aspiration: We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Fasting: Holy Mother Church - in Her modern mode - has eased up on fasting, even during Lent. However, remember that Fridays do require us to forego meat altogether. That should be de minimis. On the other hand, there's a tradition of more vigorous fasting. One method could be having one main meal with the other two not adding up to the third - an oldie but a goodie.

Almsgiving: If giving extra money springs to mind, that's good. If giving more than you currently give isn't possible (and that's your call, of course), remember that "giving" and "charity" are close companions. So special, sacrificial acts of charity, starting with loved ones, would fit the bill.

Now to our cold water. It comes from one of our regulars. This week and next, we'll post his comments on "compunction." It's basically a sting of conscience based upon guilt for our sins. What could be more appropriate for Lent? 

 

The Spirit of Compunction (Part 1 of 2)
Fr. Joseph Schryvers, C.SS.R. (1876-1945)
“Cleanse me from my sin.” (Ps. 50:4)

 “If you desire to draw forth tears of true abiding sorrow, go down frequently into the depths of your own unworthiness and misery. It is not possible to have the contrite and humble heart suggested by the penitent king (David), unless one’s personal malice is realized. To be exempt from faults, all our faculties and all their movements should always be conformed to right reason and to the principles of faith. To be perfectly pleasing to God, all one’s aspirations and desires should continually tend towards God, the sovereign good. But our inclinations so often move in an opposite direction, towards tenderness for self, severity towards our neighbor, towards cupidity, pride, cowardice, and a host of other vices; and personal sin accentuates this tendency towards evil. Besides actual sin and reprehensible inclinations, there are also omissions. With a little zeal you could serve God better than you are doing. Dare you pretend to affirm that in the matter of generosity, humility, obedience, fraternal charity and zeal, you give your full measure? Then again what imperfections are permitted to slip into good works which are performed by us, what selfish motives and human inclinations, what defects in the execution of duties! Negligence and impetuosity so often spoil apparently beautiful works! ‘Take away from your miserable virtues,’ said Joseph de Maistre, ‘what is due to temperament, honor, opinion, pride, powerlessness, or the force of circumstances, and what will remain?’ Who will deny that he has a continual need to turn towards God to implore His clemency and patience with so many defects? Happily we have to deal with an infinitely good and merciful God, ever ready to forgive. Jesus forgives us, and He forgives the thousandth time as perfectly as the first. After granting us pardon there is no bitterness in His heart, nor remembrance of our fault in His mind, because He forgives as God, from a heart of infinite goodness. The door of His justice is always locked; to open it one must will it, and will it obstinately. The door of His goodness is always ajar; to throw it open, it needs but be touched gently; a child can do it.”
 

Thank you Father. We'll see you again next Sunday.

For now, we sign off with that traditional aspiration we referenced above...

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee

Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world