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How to Choose a Sacrifice this Lent, by T.J. Burdick – Brown Pelican Society of Lousiana

How to Choose a Sacrifice this Lent, by T.J. Burdick

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Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash. "purple and white cross-print textile". Lent. Cropped

By T.J. Burdick, Catholic Exchange, Feb. 11, 2026

T.J. Burdick the author of several books and articles on the Catholic faith. He writes and speaks on how to grow in holiness amongst the distractions and difficulties of the current age. When he is not spending time with his family or writing books, you can find him teaching courses on the Catholic faith through Signum Dei (signumdei.com). For more about T.J., visit his site at tjburdick.com.

 

“The Glory of God is a human fully alive.” – St. Irenaeus of Lyons

070c1cd9fda2185b6316ed44b7b28ba8722aadb4befd938b93474bbaa7df3141So, you’re thinking about giving up sweets for Lent…again.

How’d that go for you last year? Did you become a galvanized spiritual soldier whose wisdom mimics that of Solomon and whose devotion is like that of St. Joseph?

I kid. I kid.

Lenten sacrifices are such a sliding scale both physically and spiritually that, sometimes, it’s hard to figure out our true motive for making them. Do I fast to lose a couple pounds or to build up my spiritual reserves (Mt. 17:21)? Do I pick up a Lenten devotional because that’s what everyone else in my parish is doing or because I truly desire holiness? Do I give a little bit more to my tithe so that I can get more back on my tax refund or because my diocese can fund our local soup kitchen?

The answers to these questions, of course, are deeply personal. They are also complex, paradoxical, even. …