SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:
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Lent is a time to get back to basics. In a way, it’s like spring training for baseball players or summer drills for football players.
They practice drills they’ve done before — stealing second base, hitting the cut-off man, swinging the bat, etc.
Why should the spiritual life be any different?
The Roman Catholic Church proposes three ways for us to grow during the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
All of these practices are designed to bring us closer to God. When we fast, we deny ourselves food.
Not only did Jesus fast for 40 days while being tempted in the desert, he also prayed during that time.
We are reminded that “man does not live on bread alone.” The money saved as a result of eating less can be given to others in need. This is called almsgiving.
As Pope Benedict reminded us last year, we are not owners but rather administrators of the goods we possess. Especially in this day and age, with the struggling economic situation in which many find themselves, there are no shortage of good causes to which one can contribute.
Lent is a time when we should simplify our lives. We are so busy doing many things, rushing from one place to another.
Is there time for God to really enter in? Many people will give something up for Lent. Denying simple pleasures should remind us how much more important God is and help us to rely on him more.
Lent begins Wednesday.
If you see people with black dust on their foreheads, it’s probably because they received ashes at church that day as “the mark of our repentance.”
Ashes are distributed with the words “remember man that thou art dust and to dust you shall return” (see Genesis 3: 19) or “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).
FATHER STEPHEN DOKTORCZYK is a priest at St. Joachim Church in Costa Mesa.
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