As I reflect about Lent, and the struggle I have to identify something to give up, I'm mindful about all three actions that we are called to: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. We even hear about not giving something up but instead being deliberately nice or doing something out of the ordinary, even if it's ordinary. This year, Pope Francis calls our attention to performing works of mercy.

Lent is a time of penance and renewal, emptying ourselves and making sacrifices that can't even begin to compare with the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Even when we stray, we are always welcomed home (Lk 15:1-32). When we hear of mercy, we think forgiveness. Yet with God's mercy, God loves unconditionally. Forgiveness aside, we are loved even when we don't deserve to be. If only we had that kind of capacity and could extend that kind of love to others!

We will hear in upcoming Sunday readings that we do not live on bread alone (Lk 4:4), and that whoever is in Christ is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). During Lent, we sacrifice and empty ourselves, often as a penance. We do good things for others in reparation for all the times we haven't. But part of emptying ourselves during Lent is to make room for Christ. Giving things up for Lent is nice. Doing nice things during Lent is admirable. But, perhaps they shouldn't stop at Easter. Once Easter is here, we are not off the hook. Doing these nice things should be habit forming. We should do certain things because it is what Christ would do. Like the System of Virtues, we should approach Lent with a mindset of being transformed. We must decrease so that Christ can increase (Jn 3:30). Let us form new habits this Lent, so that in our hearts we may be more like Christ. May we be a resurrection people, reminding others of God's loving presence through our words and deeds.

Christ's Peace,

Matt Dunn