Tackling this Lent like Never Before

Last Lent was kind of a disaster, wasn’t it? First of all, the world went bonkers because a guy ate a bat, and we were all stuck at home, feeling united only by Oklahoma native, Joe Exotic. (If you didn’t watch Tiger King during quarantine, what were you doing? Probably something productive. I sure wasn’t.)

I think a lot of us forgot about our Lenten promises/sacrifices because, well, there were bigger fish to fry. This season of Lent was nothing we expected. If advertised for TV, Chris Harrison would have introduced it as “Lent! The Most Dramatic Season Yet!” No kidding, right? I totally lost my mind and allowed my sixteen year old sister to chop off my hair with kitchen scissors. I think we all had a bit of a crisis.

As far as I know, churches were still closed, and many of us watched Easter Mass from our couches. We were separated from the Eucharist and our friends and families. The enemy works in isolation - but so does God. Your most defining, transformative moments are usually when you’re alone. And boy were we alone.

It was rough, but I think it was the best representation of what Lent is really supposed to look like. Lent is supposed to turn our world upside down. Our world was turned upside down for us, and We. Freaked. Out.

Lent is meant to change our hearts. Usually after Easter, we eat our chocolate bunnies and move on. We fall back into whatever we gave up and continue on the year with the relief we can drink our coffee in peace again.

So I’ve compiled some ideas to get your noodle churning. But don’t take my word for it! Use this as a jumping off point and get creative! What is it that has gotten in the way of your relationship with Christ? Start there.

At-Home Holy Hour.

Make your cup of joe. Create a designated spot in your home for prayer. (Don’t make it in bed, you’ll fall back asleep. Trust me.) Maybe it’s a floor cushion in the corner with a little bookshelf (that’s mine). Maybe it’s the second chair at your dining room table. Maybe it’s the swing on the back porch (eh, it’s still cold.) Or maybe it’s the floor in your closet. (Weirdly peaceful, actually.) So make it a spot. Keep a little stack of books and a notebook there. Make some tea. The first thirty minutes you may be restless, but the last twenty or so, you won’t want to get up.

Give up your car radio/bluetooth.

If you’re anything like me, I need a motion picture soundtrack to accompany me while I dodge through crazy traffic. I need the heavy bass and intensity of thinking I’m in an action movie or something. But sometimes, when my phone dies and I’m stuck in the silence of my fishbowl of a Volkswagen, my mind starts to drift, and even as someone who doesn’t really like saying the rosary, I start praying Hail Mary’s on my knuckles.

Read all four gospels. At once.

This is more of a one time challenge during Lent. It’ll take you about ten hours. (You may need coffee for this one.) But while you’re reading, don’t just read it to know what happens. Let yourself sink into the stories. Like a method actor, become each character in the story. Put yourself in Jesus’s shoes. Put yourself in the Blessed Mother or Mary Magdalene’s shoes. How about Judas? Have fun with it. I promise you’ll finish it with a richer perspective on the meaning of the Gospel.

Cold Showers

That’s a shock. (It’s also very good for your skin and hair. It’s a win win. A very chilling win-win.) Even if it shocks you and you scream, “Oh God!” you’re one step into a prayer. Roll with it. Shiver with it.

Give Up Talk Show News

If you have a smartphone, sign up for a news app like the Associated Press and subscribe to which notifications you would like. Reading “just the facts ma’am” instead of hearing people talk about the news is definitely a less anxiety inducing way to stay in the loop.

When you get back, you’ll see the world is just as much on fire as it was forty days ago. And people still don’t agree on anything. You won’t have missed much. And you’ll feel a lot better.

Get off Facebook.

Seems like a go to sacrifice for this generation, but really. Abstaining from social media is an excellent way to cleanse the “fear of missing out” or “comparison syndrome.”

You won’t have to see how many people are upset about everything. I won’t have to see how many of my classmates are getting engaged. It’s a win for anyone. Chances are, you won’t miss all your friends posting their quiz results from “What kind of fish are you?” You could do without it, trust me.

Go to Daily Mass

Many daily masses are offered before and after work hours. It’s an excellent way to start the day or to take a breather on your lunch break. (Please be safe and wear a mask.)

Please, don’t be discouraged if you trip on on your Lenten promise or accidentally drive through Popeyes on a Friday. It happens to the best of us. We’ve all slipped up on our promises and fallen short of what we dedicated ourselves to. But that’s the beauty of God’s grace - it’s that no matter how many times we slip up, God’s mercy pulls us back into his everflowing love again, ready to start anew. As Saint Francis de Sales said, “Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.”

Lenten Checklist

1. Find something to sacrifice. It could be a habit, it could be time for prayer - it’s up to you.

2. Find a new prayer or litany. Or write your own! Keeping your prayer life fresh is a good way to stay motivated.

3. Try a Holy Hour. See page 39 for a list of local parishes that offer Eucharistic Adoration.

4. Stock up on your frozen seafood. Find some new recipes on Pinterest. (I recommend shrimp linguine with greek seasoning.)

5. Find a spiritual/theological book. I’d recommend The Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila. It was written in 1588, but the message is timeless.