A SAINT FOR LENT

Those of us who try to take Lent seriously can fall into the bad habit of concentrating on ourselves - our fasting, our extra prayer and holy reading, etc.  The church’s liturgy recognizes this and calls our attention to it in the first readings at mass on both Friday and Saturday after Ash Wednesday. In these readings, the Lord tells the Israelites that the kind of fasting he wants is, among other practices, giving to the poor, practicing justice for the oppressed, and acting honestly toward one’s neighbor.

As I was trying to figure out what these readings meant for me in my life, I came across this simple description of what a saint is: “A saint is someone who makes it easier to believe in God.”

So I have been using this definition to help me in my own Lenten observance. Who are the people in my life for whom I make it “easier to believe in God?" What about my brothers in the monastery for starters? What about the students I teach, or the other kids in the school? How can I make it easier for them to believe in God? What about the people in Saint Augustine parish on Sundays? Or my relatives? Or my close friends? How can I make it easier for each of them to believe in god?

One of my Lenten resolutions, then, is to examine my conscience every night by asking myself that question.

In both of the mass readings that I mentioned above the image of light comes up. During Lent, I want to be conscious of being “light” for all those people whom God has put in my life.

This year, then, besides a couple of little practices of self denial, I will be concentrating on being light for the people around me, and making it easier for them to believe in God.

Following the Benedictine practice, I received Abbot Augustine‘s blessing on my Lenten observances. I pray that the blessing will work! I pray that you, to will

Have a blessed lent!