Lent 2015: Week 1

   Last Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent 2015! Sadly I was not able to get my ashes this year but I do believe this is going to be my most productive Lent yet.
   Lent has always been my favorite liturgical season and I have always loved wearing my ashes around all Wednesday. Not to flaunt the fact that I'm Catholic but to flaunt the fact that I am a sinner in need of my Savior's grace. That is what Ash Wednesday is all about; it's public admission that we're all sinners and that's not something to be ashamed about. Lent is all about that grace, bout that grace, no devil. (I had to even though I've honestly never heard that song before. Haha.) It's all about repenting.
   A few years ago, my parish priest said in one of his homilies that when it comes to giving something up for Lent we always focus on the negative. He said that he always focuses on the grace of God. That made me realize something. Every Lent you hear people saying that they're giving up candy or sweets or soda for Lent. That's not a bad thing at all. But very seldomly do you hear someone say that they're going to Mass and praying the Rosary everyday. So I decided to mix it up this year. My "Lenten resolutions" are this: Mass and Rosary everyday, do some spiritual reading, more prayer time, Stations of the Cross on Fridays, and work on ny jealousy and pride.
   Whenever I go through Lent just giving something up and not increasing my spiritualality I always come out no better. It's just like something I heard someone say (I think it was Matt Fradd in The Hidden Battle. Great talk! Check it out!). He said that we can't fast without praying and we can't pray without fasting. It just doesn't work. At all. You can't add something good without taking away something bad.
   I've only made Mass three days this week but I haven't missed the Rosary. I've been praying more. Mom and I have done a little Bible study two nights. I can tell a difference in the sence that I haven't gotten jealous as much this week and my pride hasn't shown itself like it normally does. I feel calmer and more at ease than I used to. Now it's only been 9 days but I already feel like I've gained a lot.
   Lent is meant to be a season of repentance. It's a time to get back in shape again and to refocus yourself. It's a time for learning and seeing things that you didn't know or see the year before. It's a time to remind yourself what grace is all about.