What does a discerning heart and Lent have in common, because next Wednesday is the beginning of Lent

Pope Francis at Lenten Mass distributing ashes on Ash Wednesday.

The Pope’s Lenten message reminds us of the three traditional ways in which “we can rediscover the joy of God’s plan for creation and for each of us.  These are to love God, our brothers and sisters, the entire world, and to find in this love our true happiness”.  It is through fasting, prayer and almsgiving. So, these three practices can assist you during these next 40 days as you continue discerning to what God is calling you to in life.  Read on to rediscover the three ways of experiencing joy as we read from the Pope’s Lenten message.

Pope’s Lenten message suggests three practices

Fasting,” Pope Francis said, refers to “learning to change our attitude towards others and all of creation.  It is to turn away from the temptation to “devour” everything to satisfy our voracity. Be ready to suffer for love, which can fill the emptiness of our hearts.” he said.

“Prayer,” he added, “teaches us to abandon idolatry and the self-sufficiency of our ego.  It is to acknowledge our need of the Lord and his mercy.”

“Almsgiving,” he continued, refers to when “we escape from the insanity of hoarding everything for ourselves in the illusory belief that we can secure a future that does not belong to us.”

In this way, Pope Francis stressed, we can “rediscover the joy of God’s plan for creation and for each of us, which is to love him, our brothers and sisters, and the entire world.  And then, we will find in this love our true happiness.”

Spend a bit of time reflecting on how you want to spend the next 40 days.  How do you want to deepen your relationship with God?  What is God asking of you during these next six weeks?