Ash Wednesday

My wife is a self-described Recovering Catholic. I prefer to support my wife in all her endeavors. So when she reverts to her Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, I try my best to go along.

Typically, when lunchtime rolls around, I fail. Not because I'm weak-willed, but rather because I forget that today is Ash Wednesday or that Friday is a Friday of Lent and I'm supposed to not stop by Pal's on my way back from the hospital.

Bad pastor. Bad.

But today, I've remembered. I reduced some spinach with garlic and red pepper flakes and sauteed onions for a nice little salad.

And my stomach, spurred on by the cold-brewed coffee I'm inhaling today, is reminding me that this is an atypically small meal.

Forsaking meat on these certain days is a way to remember that Lent is a fast, a time of preparation. But the fast isn't just about giving a certain thing up. To be honest, I'll probably never quit something altogether for Lent again. I've found that unhelpful. The fast of Lent is about shifting behavior, shifting habits.

Lent is a targeted time that's better filled with the kind of promise we make at the New Year. But Lent is a time when that promise should be focused on renewing and deepening our relationship with our Creator.

Giving up coffee does not bring me closer to God. It just makes me grumpy and unproductive.

What brings me closer to God is taking on practices like morning prayer, or even daily exercise.

So rather than giving up something this Lent, I'm going to take something on. I'm going to intentionally improve my relationship with God.

That's my plan. What's yours?

Thanks to Unvirtuous Abbey for inspiration for this post.