Discerning in Lent

 

Part of a regular medical check-up is to have tests taken of your pulse, blood pressure, a heart check and perhaps a blood test. With the beginning of Lent, there is the invitation for a spiritual check-up – one that lasts for forty days!

Just as many of us do not like visiting doctors, many of us may not like the season of Lent. Perhaps it is for the same reason. Are there issues I may not wish to face up to? Perhaps we are not as well as we would like to be; perhaps changes in life-style will be called for, when we want to continue as we are. Nevertheless in both cases, we know it is for our benefit and we are being irresponsible if we avoid looking after body, mind and spirit. I don’t know about you, but the above certainly applies to me!

Lent can perhaps be seen as a check-up on how well we have been transformed into the mind, heart and vision of God. St. Paul puts it like this: do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Let us use the time of Lent to examine our minds and hearts and to commit ourselves to transformation and renewal so that we truly can “discern the will of God” – what is good and acceptable and perfect”. 

Keeping spiritually fit...

As the evenings lengthen, in this part of the world anyway, many people will be taking up some outdoors exercise again. Already, the numbers of people out jogging in the evenings is noticeable. 

Increasingly we hear about the role of physical fitness in warding off certain illnesses. We know it is important to look after our bodies.

There's an analogy here with the spiritual life. Just as we need to make an effort to get off the couch to go out for a walk or jog, we need to push ourselves to make time for prayer.

Just as with keeping physically fit, that demands time and effort too; but it's worth it. 

And for anyone discerning a religious vocation it's a necessity.