We are heading into the season of Lent. I have been thinking that this season is not only a time of reflection and assessment, but also an opportunity to discipline human desire. In our modern life, taking time out from the rush of media, devices, and a fast-paced lifestyle, we seldom stop to reflect on our lives and where they are going. Lent emerges like a hidden island full of opportunity; we are, by nature, suspicious of taking the opportunity of solitude and reflection. Lent is a time that calls us to the desert, not only to pray but also to assess our goals and the health of our spiritual life. It draws us from the chaos and the noise into sheltering silence to look at our lives.

One of the elements of Lent that gets a lot of coverage is the things we would give up for Lent. These range from small sacrifices, such as giving up ice cream, candy, and dessert. This can help us trim a few pounds from our waistline. We are doing this to show God that we are really good people. However, often these mortifications we pursue only last a few days, not the 8 weeks of Lent. I will say, however, I have met people who have persevered through their offering and, in the end, are very proud of themselves; that is the power of discipline, no matter how small.

Look closely at this spiritual intention we make for our penance for our sins or for the selfishness we have been living. It takes a few moments to commit us to limiting desires. How many of us really know what Lent is about? As Christians, we take 8 weeks to prepare for Easter Sunday This celebration is the most important presentation of Christian theology. The resurrection of Jesus.

The eight weeks of Lent are really about thinking and practicing the discipline that the Christian life demands. It is to make us ponder how we are living our Christian lives. How are we being faithful to Jesus’s message and path? The offering of something for Lent is really about discipline. What is discipline but how we chastise our wants? Why would we do this, but strengthen our resolve to stay on the path? To meet selfishness and triumph over it. Discipline in our current society is not one of the virtues we applaud. We are often told that we have the right to do what we want and follow every desire. Indeed, if we eliminate that desired choice, we are somehow limiting our true selves.

It seems the only place we honor discipline is in sports. Running a marathon is an achievement in our society but avoiding behaviors that let desire control us is somehow unhealthy. I might point out that, as we watch the Winter Olympics, every athlete you see participating will tell you how they trained to become Olympians. You are a spiritual contestant; you must train to become a Christian athlete. They will tell you about the discipline necessary to get up on the podium of achievement. They will also tell you it was worth all the hard work to get that gold medal around their neck. Discipline of our spiritual selves operates in a similar way. We want to train our lives in goodness and love, so we may reflect the values of our Christian life to others. We take this time in the next weeks to prepare not only to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, but we prepare our souls to greet him victorious over selfishness and with a new dedication to Jesus’s ministry to the world.

We do not have to practice a difficult or momentous self-denial, but there are plenty of small but important parts of ourselves that could use some attention. Perhaps greeting people with more kindness and listening to what they say. Doing dishes when no one helps and without complaint, finishing a task, we find difficult. Seeking to discipline ourselves, giving when we have limited energy, and going that extra mile to help a neighbor. Opening ourselves to the community around us, to the sick, to the elderly, to the child. Without complaint, or worried about the time we spend there. We, as Christians, are on a path to help others, regardless of cost or time. Perhaps you could pray every day at the same time for ten minutes, read scripture in a quiet place, and allow God’s word to penetrate our hearts. The opportunities are endless. The results at the end of 8 weeks should make us better people and deepen our Christian Faith.

Lent is a time of preparation, a time to dwell closer to God, to a loving Father, and to anticipate the good news of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday.

A good man deals graciously and lends.
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
 Surely he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
 He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
 His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
(Psalm 112: 5-8)