Embrace the Lenten Season

A Lenten Reflection by MaryClaire Rodrigue

The Lenten season is now in full swing. So it's time for us to put up the glitz and glam of Mardi Gras and take down the sacrifice and penance of Lent. Now I know that doesn’t sound the least bit exciting, but I promise it can be if you dive in with your whole heart. Like Advent, Lent is all about a season of longing. During Advent we are excitedly waiting for the birth of our Lord and Savior. Then Lent comes along and we are sorrowfully awaiting His Crucifixion. What a contrast, from one extreme to the next, but what a parallel to our own lives. Just like Jesus, we are faced with times of complete happiness and times of utter devastation. So we too must turn to what got Jesus through those 40 days in the desert, our Heavenly Father. After a while of dealing with those joyous ups and despairing downs, life can start to resemble a rickety bridge. One step could be on a strong, tightly held beam, and the next could crack in half causing you to stumble and fall. But wait! Don’t fear crashing to the depths below, because God proves to be our safety net every single time we fall.

Anytime we stumble, especially during this Lenten season, we are embraced by the arms of our Father, lifting us back up to solid ground. When taken seriously, Lent is a time for spiritual and personal growth, which doesn’t come easily. In order to grow we must embrace those difficult things in our lives that we often push to the back of our minds. Lent is the perfect time to focus on the specific challenges in our lives that we can hand over to God. By laying our struggles down at God’s feet we are able to overcome our battles with God at our side, just as Jesus did during His time in the desert. Although uncomfortable, working to overcome our earthly struggles is the only way to grow into the sons and daughters God has destined us to be. By challenging ourselves to move into a state of discomfort we are able to become more like Jesus and more reliant on God as we journey through our own personal deserts. So I challenge you all to pray with me to have the courage to pick up your battles, place them at the feet of God, and embrace this Lenten spiritual metamorphosis.