Busted Halo
Loading

googling god
The Busted Halo Question Box
Ask our spiritual experts virtually anything!
This is the place where you can ask all of those burning questions that you wouldn't dare ask in person. We will post questions here (using your byline only with permission); we guarantee an answer to everyone.

Have your own question? Then pitch it to us!

Fr. Tom Ryan
Ecumenical and interfaith
Neela Kale
Culture, ethics and Catholic basics
Mike Hayes
General
Ann Naffziger, M.A., M.Div.
Scripture
Charles C. Camosy, PhD
Medical ethics
Caitlin Kennell Kim
Mary
  • (8)
Our readers asked:

Why do we give up something for Lent?

Neela Kale Answers:

You’re out with your friends on a Friday night and suddenly you notice that one of them has switched from his favorite microbrew to… lemonade? Is it time for Lent already? Giving up something for Lent sometimes evokes head-scratching in non-Catholics, but what might seem like just another Catholic eccentricity can actually be a practice with deep spiritual significance.

Lent, the period of 40 days that precedes the celebration of Easter, has its origin in the early days of the Church. Converts seeking to become Christian, who at that time were mostly adults, spent several years in study and preparation. Under the threat of Roman persecution, becoming a Christian was serious business, so their process of preparation was intensive! Then they went through a final period of “purification and enlightenment” for the 40 days before their baptism at Easter. The rest of the Church began to observe the season of Lent in solidarity with these newest Christians. It became an opportunity for all Christians to recall and renew the commitment of their baptism.

Today we know Lent as a season of conversion: we acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God in our lives and we focus on turning our hearts and minds back toward God. Hence the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God. Giving up something for Lent is ultimately a form of fasting. We can deprive ourselves of some small pleasure or indulgence and offer that sacrifice up to God. Or we might “give up” a bad habit such as smoking as a way of positively turning our life back towards what God wants for us.

So maybe your mom was on to something when she had you give up Oreos or your favorite TV show as a child. An experience of want, however temporary, can help us to appreciate the true abundance in our lives. And a small positive change can have a big impact that lasts beyond the 40 days of Lent.

Take the time now to think about what you might give up this year. Is it something you enjoy that you want to sacrifice for a while, like your daily latte? Or is it a bad habit you want to conquer, like running in late to meetings with co-workers? Or perhaps you want to turn your cell phone off for a few hours each day and not let it distract you from the loved ones you are with in real time? Find something that works for you, and whatever it is, may it help you to turn towards God in this holy season of Lent.

  • (8)
The Author : Neela Kale
Neela Kale is a writer and catechetical minister based in the Archdiocese of Portland. She served with the Incarnate Word Missionaries in Mexico and earned a Master of Divinity at the Jesuit School of Theology. Some of her best theological reflection happens on two wheels as she rides her bike around the hills of western Oregon.
See more articles by (134).
  • skines44@yahoo.com

    True Christianity is not about giving something up…it is about the abundant life in Christ, with a fullness of joy. God said “to obey is better than to sacrifice” and that obedience is to the Gospel: Jesus died for your sins, was buried and was resurrected to life eternal….so we are forgiven of our sins and are no longer under the law. This “tradition” is not recognizing the full concept of grace, but is hanging on to the notion that we have to give something to God in order to earn His favor….clearly not true per New Testament teachings.

    • http://www.facebook.com/ejderkach Eve Derkach

      I’m new to Lenten sacrifice, having been raised Baptist, but facing my own baptism at Easter, I have a slightly different perspective than what I was taught as a child. It isn’t that giving up something for Lent curries favor with Christ. The very notion demeans the power of His grave. We saved through grace alone. To obey is better than sacrificing, but we don’t always obey. Lent is a time when we are encouraged to see where we have not obeyed. It doesn’t save us- grace does that when we have repented. It is, however, a tool we can use to get back to righteous living. And please don’t put tradition in quotation marks. That implies that it isn’t a tradition and it very much is. It may not be one that you practice or agree with, but it exists and draws many Christians into closer communion with God. If anything, think of it in terms of 1 Cor 8. All things are lawful for us, but if it becomes a stumbling block for our brethren, let us abstain. Or in this case, allow that some Christian need Lent. Not for God, but for themselves. I know I need it.

      • skines44@yahoo.com

        You are new to Lenten sacrifice because it is not taught in Scripture. The problem with this is that many who observe Lent behave one way all thru the year, but behave differently for 40 days. Does it do them good? I imagine for some it may help in some way. But again, the emphasis in Christ is not on what we give for Christ, but what He gave for us! We bring NOTHING to the table. And after Lent is over, your righteousness is still as “filthy rags” in God’s sight, and your behavior, while it might improve temporarily is still not going to measure up to God’s standard, which is perfection. Only in Christ do we find perfection, as His righteousness is imputed to us, by GRACE ALONE. My prayer is that the focus would be on Jesus, and not our own efforts to gain anything, whether it be favor or somehow just feeling better about ourselves. That is NOT the focus in Christianity–loving God in a personal relationship is the focus.

    • http://www.facebook.com/cole.caldwell.336 Cole Caldwell

      Lent is not set in place to earn anything from god. It is set in place to honor god for what he did for us. No where in the bible does it require lent but if god was so awesome as to die for all our sins then giving something up for 40 days is extremely minuscule in comparison.

      • skines44@yahoo.com

        “it is set in place”….by who? Man. Not in Scripture. And you are right, giving up food of some kind for 40 days is miniscule….to me it is almost an insult to God. He wants YOU, your heart, your love, your daily worship, all the time. My concern is that for many, lent is the ONLY time they focus on God, and many believe, along with other rituals, that if they observe Lent, it helps to save them. If the motive is pure, then God bless you and all who are observing it.

      • skines44@yahoo.com

        We are to honor God with our lives, not with 40 days of doing without fried chicken and candy, as one of my Catholic friends is doing.  God wants YOU.  When we “give up” something for lent, many times it is done so that people can see how pious and religious we are.  While the Bible does not mention lent, doing without food (fasting) for a period of time is certainly indicated in Scripture.  So as long as the motive is pure and the person participating does not think he/she is earning favor from God, or somehow helping themselves get to heaven, or to impress others, there is certainly no harm done.  I prefer to follow Scriptural commands for Christians, not man made traditions, and the Bible is clear about that.

  • http://www.facebook.com/1busymomx4 Heather Bartelheimer

    Thank you for a great explanation. My homeschool children needed clarification and I think this may be the ticket.

  • maribel

    thanx 4 the great article,it helpd me write an essay of my own 4 a class:D
powered by the Paulists