The Liturgical Calendar reminds us of the times of the year that we need to be preparing for something - and Lent is a time for preparing ourselves for the Resurrection of our Lord.
We typically deprive ourselves of things during Lent.
Lent consists of 40 days, portraying the 40 days that Jesus was in the desert praying before his time of teaching in public. (Lent is actually 46 days with Sundays being special days by themselves.) We also contribute the 40 days to the 40 years that Moses roamed. Forty is a significant number to our faith.
Jesus fasted while in the desert and we are asked to "fast" during Lent. Now there are a few days that we really need to fast. Fasting from food on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are wonderful ways to show your love for Christ. Some people cannot fast due to health issues - that is okay - God will forgive you! Offer your sufferings to God.
The other "fasting" that we do during lent is by "giving some thing up" - depriving ourselves of something that we really like - say chocolate for instance. That is deprivation (abstinence) that we can offer to Jesus as a gift for the sacrifice that He gave us. Seems small in comparison, but Jesus loves us to make small sacrifices for Him. He never asks us to make huge sacrifices. Say a prayer when you think about what you have given up.
We can also "give of ourselves" and offer that for Lent also. Just be sure that whatever it is that you do, do it as a prayer. Do everything during Lent as a prayer. What I mean by that is - do it without letting others know and be thinking about offering it as a gift to God. That is a prayer in itself!
Meditate on Holy Scripture - One of the oldest methods of scriptural prayer is lectio divina or “holy reading.” This is done by picking a verse from Scripture and meditating on it slowly. Slowly read each word and stop and meditate on a word that sticks out to you. Read it over and over slowly and meditate on each word that comes from the WORD.
We need to change ourselves during Lent. Change ourselves so we can be a change for the better to others.
