"As a child growing up in the Catholic faith, it seemed unacceptable to keep your Lent 'give up' to yourself. Ostensibly, we were encouraged to share so that we could 1) ensure everyone actually did give up something, and 2) help each other stay strong till Easter. Of course, being children, it was far more interesting to catch someone slipping up than to help them. As a parent, I found the joy in the helping. If my daughter who eats ice cream most every day of the year (she still does) chose to give up ice cream, I didn't buy more during Lent and we curtailed our frequent after dinner trips to DQ. When she or her sister did slip up, it was an opportunity to point out how difficult real sacrifice is and to remember that God appreciates the striving. And isn't that the real message? None of us are perfect, pointing that out to others helps no one, and the striving counts. God is always there to support our efforts and forgive us our failings."
Please be reminded, if you are interested in contributing to this Lenten series, we invite you to upload a short reflection using the link below.
