Prayer, almsgiving, fasting…

Today is the second day of the second week of Lent and it is good for us: monks, nuns, priests, pastors, deacons, lay ministers and especially the laypeople to reflect together on what Lent invites us to do.

Lent stands on three firm standposts: - prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.
More than any other period of the year, we are asked to pray, give alms and fast during this holy season.

Lent is a season of prayer. We do not mean that Lent is a season for more prayer, but it is actually a season for better prayer. Lent is not an invitation to multiply Hail Mary’s nor Novenas. You can do multiply them but that will not be in the spirit of lent. The spirit of Lent means better prayer, not simply more prayers. The question is not the quantity of our prayer but the quality of our prayer that is to be offered to God during this season of Lent.
Prayer that does not take root in our hearts will lead us nowhere. It will just massage our ego and convince us that we are so good. If there is no love in our heart it amounts to nothing.

The second standpostof Lent is almsgiving.
Almsgiving is not just simply giving something to the poor. It is not simply taking a coin in your pocket and dropping it into a blind beggar’s outstretched palm or into the tin can of a street child.

Almsgiving means thinking of other people. Almsgiving means sharing with other people. Almsgiving means giving a listening ear to someone who is in dire need of somebody who is willing to listen and can give advice. Almsgiving means accepting the apology of someone who has deliberately hurt you. Alms is a general term. It is not simply something that is given out of charity. It is doing concretely for a neighbor.

The third is fasting. Fasting is not simply missing food. It is not simply dieting. The season of lent is a time for us to fast. It is for us to impose on ourselves that discipline. It is craving for something but exercising restraint in giving in to it. It is conquering over our inner desire and passion for something that we want to do or to acquire.

Lent also brings to us three fruits.
Prayer encourages us to deepen our relationship with God.
Almsgiving improves our relationship with each other.
Fasting and sacrifice enhances our self discipline.

Lent gives us an improved relationship with God, an improved relationship with other people, and a better awareness and control of oneself.

Let us ask God to keep the spirit in us to do these acts in this time of Lent.
Bless us all….