Jesus said to his disciples:
Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.

When you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing
so that your almsgiving may be in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you pray,
go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

(from the gospel of Ash Wednesday)

Happy Lent?  Are you crazy?  There is nothing happy about Lent.  Happy Easter, Happy Christmas, Happy Mothers’ Day or St. Valentine’s or St. Patrick’s Day is OK, but Happy Lent doesn’t make sense.   Or does it? 

Lent is a season that truly marks the Christian.  It is our season to pray, to do penance and to give alms in ways that are extraordinary. 

Individual prayer, communal prayer, prayer with scripture, prayer in adoration of the blessed sacrament, prayer of thanksgiving, of petition, of intercession…  the list goes on.  We can pray as often as we want to and wherever we happen to be.  Blessed Rosalie Rendu said, “Never have I prayed as well as in the streets.”  Praying with joy and with hope can make this a happy lent.

Penance doesn’t sound like a ‘happy’ activity.  If we are stuck in the old, what-am-I-giving-up-for-Lent mentality it probably isn’t.  But as adult Catholics we can do more; we should do more.  My husband and I will spend Lent this year in the USA where every Friday is a day of fast and abstinence from meat.   I much prefer the Canadian Bishops’ direction for Fridays:

I never understood why giving up meat would be a penance for someone like me who has plenty of food choices.  It requires thought and even sacrifice to seek a ‘special act of charity’ or ‘other act of piety’ and to carry it out.   The accomplishment can make for a happy Lent.

Almsgiving needs no comment, except that which the gospel admonished, to do all of our righteous deeds without seeking the approval of others.   We give quietly, protecting the dignity of those who need help.  Keeping it private can make for a happy Lent too.

What and how we pray, fast, or give isn’t to impress other people; it is to give back to God.  I know there is an area of discussion and discernment for conferences and councils here; the question of balancing the need to solicit support with the appearance of bragging about what we do or, even worse, of being in competition with other groups who are doing good works.  This requires thought, prayer and discourse.

 May we continue to serve to the best of our ability and may we enjoy our happy Lent!

Denise