Well, I’m finally back. I’ve been wanting to get a blog post up but could not get it done. However I’m here now. It’s Lent. How is your penance going? If you are struggling with yours this year, I’m hoping that I’ll be able to be of help to you.
Your penance doesn’t have to be anything major, and, in fact, it probably shouldn’t be without consultation with a priest or spiritual director or mentor. However, it does need to be something that is felt. The sacrifice that you make does need to be perceived. It is in those times when you feel the sacrifice that you can remind yourself to hunger for God rather than seeking consolation in an earthly thing.
With that being said, I perceived sacrifice is one that you may struggle with and may fail at during Lent. Please don’t be discouraged. It may well be a sign that you are giving up something with a strong attachment to or even overuse of, and the attachment won’t be broken in a few days. As long as the thing given up wasn’t something sinful in itself, breaking the penance is not a sin. It’s a penance freely undertaken, and you are free to modify it or set it aside. However, I wouldn’t necessarily advise that you do this.
For the most part, I’d say just try again. Keep trying. Even if this is the pattern you exhibit during all of Lent, you may well have still been pleasing to God for undergoing the struggle. It may be that you need to do your penance in stages. If you used to eat two cookies every day, then eat one a day for a couple of weeks before stopping completely, or you can give yourself a break on Sundays.
In a few cases, it may be wise to examine the penance again and change it. If you gave up coffee and found out that your family and coworkers are suddenly doing more penance that you are, then please choose something else. However, this needs to be done with prayer and discernment and not just out of discouragement.
However, clinging to Christ as you struggle to deny yourself is a holy thing. If you fail, don’t be discouraged. Your Lenten penance isn’t an all or nothing proposition. Just keep relying on the grace of God, and keep going.