Lent Case

"God is not a magic act, not a vending machine of Christmas cookies" He is not a cheat sheet to our test. However, society today has fabricated God to be just that. We pray to God when we need something, want something, or are seeking an answer. We ask and receive so much of God to the extent in which we fail to show him our appreciation. How does one return the favor when God blesses? More often than not, we find ourselves quick to receive God's gifts but slow to give God gifts. As Christians, we are called to remain loyal to Jesus, the Son of God, mirroring our lives to his image and likeness. However, as desires increases, life materializes, and prosperity swarms Christians may begin to lose sight of the love and commitment they owe god. Fortunately, one Holiday rolls around each year, that reminds, renews and restores our relationship and commitment to Christ- Lent. Lent enables us, as Christians, to give back to God what he has given us-love. Calling Christians to renew their ongoing commitment to implications of the resurrection in our own lives through penance and faith, Lent strengthens our appreciation for God's gifts through sacrifice and allows us to grow spiritually with God, thankful for all that he has done for us. The season of Lent is essential to spiritual growth. It is by actively living out our love for God through sacrifice during Lent that we return the favor for all God has done for us and further develop our souls through his spirit.

The history of Lent takes us all the way back to the second century. Diligent Christians would leave their cities to practice harsh penances and purged themselves completely of all worldly pleasures in order to witness to a life beyond this life, a life beyond the gratification of the body to the development of the very soul (Chittister 102). Through sacrifice, these Christians were able to accomplish their goal in developing their souls and deepening their relationship with God. It was period of preparation for what is to come-Christ's Resurrection. (Bellitto, Christopher M). A reminder of all that Christ has sacrificed for us, Lent grants the opportunity to make it up to or "return the favor" to God by sacrificing something of ourselves for 40 days, just as Jesus did. Therefore Lent propels ones relationship with God even higher, offering the opportunity to grow spiritually as followers of Christ.

Sacrifice is a major key to the spiritual growth gained during the season of Lent. The Lenten Season is a time to give up some sort of pleasure, some sort of daily desire in order to experience life without the material hunger. The goal of Lent is to "exercise a discipline far more challenging than giving up something. It is about the asceticism of truth, truths we could rather not face, even though they might set us free" ( KAVANAUGH, JOHN F.) Asceticism-the active giving of the self physically and spiritually in order to concentrate the soul-is what propels spiritual growth. As Christians, by truly sacrificing we are ascetics who strive to bring the body to spirit in order to develop the soul. Suffering is a crucial step to knowing happiness and contentment (Clark, Annabel B). It strengthens who we are and opens our eyes to the blessings God has in store for us. One cannot know healing without suffering. Even more, one cannot know happiness without sadness. Suffering during Lent brings Christians face to face with themselves, analyzing the flaws and flawlessness of their own souls and how they can better develop their spiritual self and spirit in Christ. Through sacrificing what we cannot live without and truly learning the pain and suffering Jesus went through, we experience our own personal suffering for 40 days and gain a better understanding of the amount Jesus endured for our sake.

In reality, suffering is the key to spiritual satisfaction. It is Lent that brings us to know the love and compassion Christ holds for us (Hendrickson, Mary Lynn). Like wise, it is Lent that allows us to demonstrate the love we hold for Christ. This, as a result, boosts spiritual growth as Christians. Instead of getting things from God like many are used to, instead give gifts to God. Our due compassion for Jesus is not measured by the words spoken but the actions taken. By sacrificing for the sake of seeking and satisfying our goal as spiritual seekers, we reveal to Christ our loyalty and thankfulness. In taking initiative of our own spiritual lives and diving our souls into the Lenten Season, we develop the spiritual being within us.

Lent marks a time of removing the unnecessary coat of materialism to uncover and restore our growing love for Christ. It is a matter of sacrificing the time spent being caught up in the luxuries of life, climbing the social latter, and scrambling for society approval to pause and remember our mission