Today begins another Lent. Lent is a time of turning to God, a time of repentance, and sacrifice. Lent has figured prominently in my own spiritual life. Through the Lenten experience, and my cooperation with God, I was granted grace to overcome certain sins. Other times I was drawn closer to our Lord through prayer and spiritual discipline. Sometimes, I must admit, I squandered the call by merely checking the Lenten requirement box without entering into the grace God offers through really living this season.
With this in mind, I call all Catholic Dads to enter into this season seeking to move forward in their own spiritual journey. We do this through surrender and repentance. It is only when we give up control and realize that God alone satisfies all we need; that God alone can lead us out of our wilderness; that all our struggles are empty without God that we can truly move in the direction of our call.
As part of this, I ask that you share with us some of your journey as well as any advice you can give to one another.
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Busy lives and busy lifestyles lead us to forget God sometimes. He is compartmentalised in our mind and only sought when needed; when we're in a panic, or in trouble.
Imagine treating a friend like that … how would he react to your behaviour.
We really need to slow down. The world is spinning too fast. During Lent at least, let us MAKE time for God. Time for prayer. Time for meditation. Time for thanksgiving. And time for reflections.
God bless.
Thanks for the words of encouragement Rob.
I took my daughter to mass today. It is such a blessing to see things through her eyes. At 3-years old she doesn't understand everything. She heard the priest say something about dying. She turned to me and said,
"I'm going to die?"
She then looked around the sanctuary and pointed to other people, "Is he going to die? Is she going to die?"
I assured her that they would not die right now (at least I hoped not). Then I explained to her that we were going to get ashes on our foreheads. She didn't really understand that either.
I was worried she wouldn't let the priest touch her (she is strangely shy around men lately). She did it though and seemed to think it was a great experience.
As for me, I'm feeling called to this Lent. St. Ephrem the Syrian once wrote, "[God] comes himself to heal me, but always finds me engaged in acts that prevent his remedies from rendering me their healing power."
This Lent I'm praying St. Ephrem's prayer, "O Lord, enlighten and sober me. Cure me and I will be cured!"
Today's mass was the first step in my journey this Lent.