Stepping out of the box

Ash Wednesday is one of the few days when Catholics and Christians openly display that we are sinners and we have a Savior. Yet, people mostly focus on what we’re giving up for Lent. So the question becomes non-stop: “What are you giving up for Lent?” I started wondering why we need to give up something during the Lenten season. Since I’m around priests a lot for my Master's program, I learned the answer real fast. Read Matthew 6:1-8, and focus on verses 3-4: "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

When someone asked me what I was giving up for Lent for the millionth time—while I was “hangry” from fasting—I went on to explain. It is uncomfortable walking out in public and having all this attention on my forehead, and it is the same uncomfortable feeling I have when I’m wearing a cross or a veil. I develop this self-consciousness about the idea of people talking about me or whispering about why I would wear those things. Do I think I am better than the rest of the world or even my fellow Catholics? The purpose of me exposing myself in these ways is not for people to whisper about me or invite people to tell me why they think religion is bad. The purpose is for me. The purpose of my ashes, my necklace, and even my veil is to remind myself that I am loved by Christ.

The purpose is to try to develop a stronger relationship with Christ and make Him the reason for getting out of bed each day. People do not need to know that I am praying, and they do not need to know what my desires are for Lent. We each have a different relationship with Christ that is unique. We need to stop making Lent about giving up something and needing to know what other people are giving up. Lent is about our own individual journey, not what others are doing. Sometimes, I think we need to know what others are doing so we can say that they failed at being good Catholics or Christians.

Being a good Christian or Catholic is not about comparison to others. We need to step outside this box and bring the real meaning of Lent back. We need to be joyful Christians again, and most importantly, we need to develop that stronger relationship with Christ.