The season of Lent started with Ash Wednesday a couple of days ago, and for Catholics that means for the next 40 days, we have to be aware when it’s a Friday because that is when, for reasons of faith and ritual, we need to abstain from eating meat.
I don’t know if I have just grown old, but neither fasting nor abstinence really bother me anymore, and all that matters to me when it is Lent is getting the day right, as I am already fasting or abstaining in one form or another most days, so I just need to make sure that I do it on the correct days during this time of the year.
Fortunately for my soul, I remembered that it was Ash Wednesday, so I was able to fulfill all my obligations for that day. My spacious forehead was marked with ash, my normal intermittent fast routine meant I over complied, and I didn’t have meat on the dinner table. The other compliance problem I faced was that I liked my non-meat dinner a little bit too much, and ended up eating a little more than usual.
As someone who fasts at least 16 hours on weekdays and is basically fine with only 1 full meal a day, Lent is not much of a sacrifice. For those who enjoy seafood, abstinence isn’t a big deal, and is even an opportunity to indulge. I never imagined that Lent could be this easy when I was younger, but I guess that this is part of growing old. All I have to work on now is enjoying, or at least making more effortless, the other rituals of Lent.
However, if you come to think of it, if I become too monastic, the season of Lent may altogether lose its meaning, so I guess it’s a good thing that there are still some Lenten practices and rituals that I consider as legitimate sacrifices. While I didn’t mind the fasting and the abstinence on Ash Wednesday, figuring out the mass schedules for the day, actually getting there, and then braving the crowd just to take part of the ritual was certainly a sacrifice.
Catholics probably want to make meaningful sacrifices during Lent simply because the season commemorates the passion and death of Jesus Christ. How could we not make certain sacrifices when the guy suffered and died on the cross to save the world? Not eating meat for a few Fridays in a year and going on a fast for a day or two shouldn’t be so hard.
However, for those who find the Lenten requirements too easy, there should be nothing that can stop us from making our own sacrifices, especially if it will make us feel better or give the season more purpose.
If the eating part is too easy, the most obvious sacrifices we can make are to partake in the rituals. For those who are already focusing on their physical health, acts like prayer, reflection, confession, and going to mass and actually listening to the priest should also be good for Lent and for general spiritual health.
Those who want to go further in terms of sacrifice and also want to save the world, without having to die on a cross, can choose to make Lent an excuse to make small but significant lifestyle changes, the same way I used to make it an excuse to continue with my fasting and exercise routine. How about not using plastic bags, setting the aircon temp to a slightly higher temperature, walking more, or actually following traffic rules for Lent?
If you have someone to forgive, or have a relationship that is in need of repair, how does the sacrifice of being the one to lower your pride and approach the other person sound?
Or if you really want to make a big Lenten sacrifice, consider abstaining from social media, with the goal of not returning to that self-imposed hellscape even after the 40 days are done. That may not save the world, but it can definitely improve mental health and save your soul.
The thing with Lent is that it only lasts 40 days, and although the faithful are encouraged to learn and grow from the reflections, sacrifices, and experiences of an annual retreat, majority simply abandon any efforts and progress made during that time and go back to the way things were as soon as it ends. It is as easy as wiping away the ashes on their foreheads, which has the paradox of being symbolic but rarely leaves a permanent impression.
If we really want to change, Lent may give us a start or a push, but ultimately it is up to us to make sure whatever we want to continue doing sticks. That means living it every day, even after the 40 days end. Staying away from meat is a Lenten obligation that is ultimately just a suggestion, considering there are so many things we can choose to keep doing to better the state of our existence in this world.*
