Now that we can see the light at the end of the Lenten tunnel, are you finding it a little difficult to keep your distance from those Godiva chocolates or that tumbler of bourbon before dinner?
What seemed totally doable before Ash Wednesday and wasn't giving you much trouble in the middle of Lent can sometimes get a little more arduous in the last couple of weeks of this season.
You might even be wondering if you can keep it up till Easter (if you haven't already fallen off of the wagon:).
So let me share a little secret that really helps when I'm struggling with my Lenten penances...
Love.
Look, outside of the specific days of fasting and abstinence, the Church doesn't require we give something up for Lent.
So why do we do it?
Love.
Think about it.
If you aren't willing to sacrifice for someone, you don't really love them.
Our penance shows God that we want to be like him, that we want to act in sacrificial, self-giving love.
Penance isn't just about self-discipline or self-improvement.
It's about making a gesture of love to our Creator.
It's about showing our willingness to sacrifice for him, just as he lovingly sacrificed himself for us.
Building on that theme, today's Sainthood Snippet is a clip from one of the courses in the Science of Sainthood program, entitled Introduction to the Virtues: Virtue & the Greatest Commandment.
It's a reflection on this very topic - and it might just help you make it through these last few days of Lent without reaching into the cupboard for some milk chocolate or your favorite bottle of spirits.
God bless,
Matthew
