Why I Don’t Give Up Anything for Lent

Looking back during this particular time of year, I can fondly remember trying to figure out what to give up for Lent as a kid. If you don’t know, Lent is the 40 days before Easter during which christians reflect on the 40 days and nights Jesus was said to have fasted. Some christians are encouraged to give something up in order to renew themsevles, cleanse themselves of sin, and reflect through fasting. When choosing what I wanted to sacrifice, my options would typically include cake, chocolate, pop, junk food, etc. While it is a healthy choice to give up these things, I would always find myself returning to them when Easter came around. More importantly to me, this idea of abstaining from something for over a month did nothing for my spiritual life.

It was when I was in high school, sitting in mass during one of my Catholic school’s monthly assembly masses and listening to the priest give his homily, that I realized I wanted to make a change in the way I approached growing during the Lenten season. I became aware that while giving something up for Lent can be beneficial in a number of ways, for me particularly nothing I ever gave up truly made me grow stronger in my faith.

Years ago, after absorbing the priest’s words, I decided that rather than giving something up, I would add something to my life in order to better myself as a person. My idea was that by adding something specific to my life, I would start habits that I would continue beyond the Lenten season, thus growing stronger in my faith each year. 

In the past, I have decided to make sure to say a prayer every day, whether it be short or long. I have also decided to read a quote or passage from the Bible each day, as well as to begin a journal to write down my reflections after reading for at least one full year. One of the actions I have added in college was to attend mass consistently every week. I realized that with my busy college schedule, I negelected to include time for my spiritual life. By spending the majority of the semester attending mass each week, I discovered a way to relieve stress and spend more time with my friends while expanding my faith. I have not yet decided on what my Lenten addition will be this year, though I would like to choose something that will encourage me to help others more. 

• Christian
• easter
• God
• lent
• religion
• spring