To finish, let us return to our question at the beginning: what am I going to ‘do’ for Lent?
The response that Paul suggests is simple: do not do anything special, but do everything in union with Christ, as St Theresa of Lisieux said, “To please Him.” How?
- Through prayer and a constant turning to Him, to live each moment in his presence.
- A presence which will make us sober and attentive to others especially in the three areas of meals, work and recreation.
- If our heart is full of his presence, we will not feel the need of cramming our tummies in order to fill the hunger of our heart. However, at the same time, we will be able to appreciate a tasty little dish with a good conscience.
- If He lives in our heart, we will not feel the need to burn the candle at both ends to feel alive. However, at the same time, we will also know when it is necessary to work overtime in a peaceful frame of mind and without a bad conscience.
- If our heart rests in Him, we will not feel compelled to play computer games or other compulsive pastimes to deal with feelings of boredom. However, and at the same time, we will be able to play from time to time patience, scrabble, or see a good film in order to relax and just for the pleasure of it without having a bad conscience.Enjoy Lent!