Dear Students,
--
The season of Lent is right around the corner. Ash Wednesday is March 5. Lent is a penitential season before Easter that is traditionally marked by prayer, almsgiving and fasting. It begins Ash Wednesday and runs through Easter (40 days, not counting Sundays). You will be hearing more from me about Lent next week, but for now, here is a helpful article by Deacon Mike Bickerstaff entitled "Practical Advice for a Deeper Faith This Lent."
It is typical for Catholics to "give something up" for Lent. This relates to the practice of fasting, which is integral to the Lenten season. Often people are tempted to give up a vice in an attempt to better themselves, whether that be consuming alcohol, candy, smoking, etc. Or they will give up swearing, or lying, or gossip. Some of these things are sinful in themselves, such as lying and gossip, and others can be sinful if abused or misused, such as alcohol or even over-eating. And so it would certainly be good to use Lent as a springboard to help us get rid of these harmful vices.
However, as good as that is, it's not really the spirit of fasting that Lent is all about. The Lenten fast is about making a sacrifice, and for our sacrifice to be meaningful we ought to be sacrificing something is good. If I give up coffee for Lent, it's not because coffee is bad for me and I ought not to be drinking it anyway. If I give up coffee for Lent, it's because I view coffee as a good, something I value. But as much as I love coffee, I love Christ more and I want to give up my enjoyment of coffee to remind myself of all that Christ gave up for me.
I say this to hopefully inspire you to start thinking now about what you might want to give up this Lent. As I said, you'll be hearing more from me about Lent in the weeks to come, not only about fasting, but also about prayer and almsgiving. The purpose of all of these activities is to draw us closer to Christ. I pray that the Lenten season may, for you, be a time of grace that draws you ever nearer to our Lord.
Pax Christi,
Matt
WCU Catholic Campus Ministry
Matthew Newsome, MTh, campus minister
(828)293-9374 | POB 2766, Cullowhee NC 28723
