What are you doing now that Lent is halfway over?
Laura DeMaria
Last week I joined the Morning Air program to discuss: Lent is halfway over. What’s going on with you? You can listen to the audio of that conversation here, starting a little before minute 17.
One of the things I have been turning over in my mind is this concept of what is the “right” sacrifice for Lent, which we discussed on the show. For example, if you don’t drink coffee regularly, giving it up won’t make a noticeable difference in your life. For someone else who is addicted to several cups a day, the sacrifice would be tremendous.
I am reminded of this article I wrote about Lent in 2019, where I interviewed friends about what they were giving up. Afterwards, one of those people read it and decided to judge the others, specifically the girl who was giving up getting her nails done and having her apartment cleaned. The person criticizing was a 50+-male, judging a mid-twenties young woman. It was very surprising to me, as I understood perfectly: vanity is a big problem for a young woman, and having less than perfect nails would be a source of irritation for her, and something worthy of giving up. For him? Not so much.
And we talked about that tendency toward judgment on the show, too. Don’t judge yourself or others when it comes to these sacrifices. You have no idea what is inside someone heart, mind, and conscience. It’s not for you to know anyone’s but your own, anyway.
And as for knowing yourself and where and how best to sacrifice: talk to God in prayer. We forget we can simply “ask and receive.”
May the remainder of your Lent be fruitful!