What Are You Giving up for Lent ?

A Lenten Moment

Just before Ash Wednesday and even a few days into Lent, the question that we are often asked is, "What are you giving up for Lent?" Fasting from some food, or sweet, or from some habitual activity is often chosen as our Lenten penance. However, as St. Pope Paul VI pointed out in his great encyclical in 1966, a new question has been added to our Lenten customs. "What are you going to do for Lent?"

The prophet Isaiah has some strong ideas about what God really wants rather than sacrifices. He speaks of unbinding the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked. He tells us in no uncertain terms that these are the things that God desires rather than sacrifices.

Of course, the real reason for penances of any kind is to lead us to repentance. The very first word out of the mouth of Jesus in the Gospels is, "Repent!" Repentance is not a one and done kind of thing. It is a lifelong activity. Sometimes we use the word "conversion" as a synonym for repentance. The English word conversion comes from the Latin word "convertere," which means "turn around." Turn toward God! This is, after all, what Lent is all about.

What are you going to do for Lent?