Hello All,
Our Lenten devotional today is written by Fr. Jonathan Wallis. Fr. Wallis serves as the Chaplain and Director of the TCU Catholic Newman Center. He is an alumnus of TCU and has served in his current role since 2020. He also serves as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Fort Worth. Fr. Wallis is a valued member of our campus ministry team, cherished by our TCU Catholic community, and our campus as a whole. May his words today remind us that Lent is not just a season, it is a way of life. –Rev. Lea McCracken, Associate Chaplain
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and you will find me when you seek with all your heart.”
Reflection: Lent finds us.
In making several journeys through the season of Lent over the years, I have found that there are two levels: the Lent I can control and the Lent that I cannot.
The Lent I can control is giving up social media, caffeine, and cookies. This is not a bad thing, but it is easily measurable. It yields the data that I use when someone asks, “How is your Lent going?” If I am doing what I decided to do, it is going well. If I just had an Oreo, it is going poorly.
I do not wish to cause any misunderstanding: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are all within our control and very important. They are a real path that can lead to growth in faith and the spiritual life.
However, I find that the second level of Lent is much more difficult. It is the tendency to dwell on past mistakes, take an offhanded comment the wrong way, and focus on myself while forgetting about others. The second level of Lent are the challenges and difficulties that I encounter in everyday life and am tempted to handle in the exact same way over and over again.
While the first level of Lent can be quantified, the second is far more about the slow, painstaking process of bringing my real reality before God. I understand that God knows me perfectly and nothing I say surprises him. The real mystery is that God allows our relationship to develop in real time. We are together in the ups and downs, when I fail or succeed, when I feel close to him or far away.
I have found that being intentionally mindful of Christ in more and more of the circumstances of my life is what is building a deep and lasting relationship over time. It allows me not just to love my neighbor, but to see us as truly connected by God. It is what lasts after the season of Lent is over.
Lent isn’t easy, but in finding Lent in our daily life is a sure path that leads to Christ.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, as we journey through these days of Lent, help us see our ordinary lives and experiences in the light of your Spirit. In all things, may we grow closer to you and each other. Amen.