We are in the midst of the holy season of Lent, a time of repentance and conversion. Do you see it as a difficult season or as a beautiful season? I would like to propose a way of looking at Lent that is beautiful and not difficult. I think that Lent becomes difficult when its focus is on us, and it becomes beautiful when its focus is on God. Even though we are invited to examine ourselves during this holy season, we are called to move beyond ourselves. Our examination of self, our sins, our struggles, is supposed to be just part of the journey. Lent is never meant to leave us focused on self, but through the act of conversion, it is offered as a new path to God. The only reason we examine our own sins is so that we can receive forgiveness and freedom from these sins in the presence of God. The reason we meditate on the passion of Jesus is so that we can gain new closeness to God’s love for us. The season of Lent has many practices that may seem sad, and perhaps depressing. Praying Stations of the Cross is not meant to be a sad experience, but an experience of profound gratitude and joy. Lent makes no sense without Easter; and our acts of penance make no sense without renewed love for God. As we continue to live this holy season of Lent, may it bring new joy and love in our experience of faith in a God who calls us to the beauty of life rooted in Him, a life focused on Him, a life that is a pure gift from Him.
Fr. Wojtek Kuzma