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It is the penitential season of Lent and many Catholics have already blown their Lenten sacrifice. Some have given in to the temptation of eating that piece of chocolate cake, logging on to social media, or grabbing that Hershey’s bar from the counter at the grocery check-out line. Despite our failures in Lent there is one thing most of us are missing in our Lent journey and is crucial for a successful penitential season.
The prophet Joel gives us a clear picture that we can apply to this beautiful season. It’s a powerful portrayal of how we should go through this period in the liturgical calendar. Lent is not meant to be just another time period that has become routine. It should be something greater. It is intended to be days which draw us nearer to God.
“Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me, with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.” (Joel 2:12-13)
The Lord begs, through the prophet Joel, for us to return to him. The purpose and result of our Lenten sacrifices should for us to draw closer to the Lord. It is a way for us to recognize those things which we hold more important in our life than the Lord Jesus. Our Lenten sacrifices should reveal to us the fleshly desires we have of things of this world over things of eternity. It should pull back the curtains of deceit and reveal to us the ugliness of the sin in our life.
We can “give up” whatever we want in our life to make ourselves feel better, to look good to our fellow Catholics, or to show off how “holy” we are to our loved ones. It is, on the other hand, fruitless and dead works if we do not have the desire to utilize that sacrifice to draw us closer to the Lord’s suffering. If we are not seeking to draw closer to the Lord through our surrender in “giving up” things then it is of no avail and just as worthless as if you chose to not give up something. Our Lent journey should not be about what others perceive. It should be about what the Lord recognizes.
The Lord, speaking through the prophet Joel, begs us to come to Him with our whole heart. He is waiting, pleading, with us to throw off those things which separate us from Him and prevent Him from being our priority and to allow Him to put on a cloak of righteousness. He desires for us to come to Him, to run to Him as the prodigal son ran back to his father, and to allow the Lord to love us and forgive us.
Return to Him. Surrender to Him. He is waiting patiently and lovingly. This Lent, the Lord wants you to give up your entire heart to Him. It’s not an act of sacrifice but rather an act of surrender. Give your entire heart to Him this Lent.
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
