The Lenten Homestretch: Recentering Goals and Remembering Why, by Jacob Gillick

One can be tempted to treat Lent as a set of rules and cultural practices that we do just because we are Catholic, without understanding the deeper meaning. But if our Lent is to bear fruit, we ought to remember what our fasting and disciplines are for. They are not arbitrary restrictions on pleasures; rather, these age-old practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are those which lead to true freedom, the freedom that comes only from living in the light of Christ.

To carry out Lent well, we must remember that our religion is not primarily one of rules. There are moral and ecclesial rules and laws, of course, and these are important and ought to be followed. But they are not the main focus; rules and laws serve a larger purpose. We have our customs—I am sure that many reading this have all chosen to give up or take something on this Lent—but these too serve a larger purpose. The purpose of these Lenten customs is for us to clear the way for God’s grace to work more fully in our lives by growing in virtue and moderating our passions. …

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