The Lent Blog 2017 Style
Hey peeps! It's my favorite time of year!
We're actually about 8 days into the 40 days of Lent, and I apologize for the slowness of my annual post. This year I don't feel like Lent is a strong top-of-mind thing but more a steady undercurrent. I didn't pick one thing to do (my favorite in the past has been daily Mass attendance. This year I've been really sticking with the Miracle Morning thing from 7a-8a, so I feel like I'm already punching that deliberate reflection ticket.) I've been trying to add more conscious acts of kindness (take food or flowers to an elderly neighbor, give to charity), but I think the thing that has stuck with me so far this season is this article I read a few days ago summarizing the Pope's message to "give without worry".
My favorite quote was,
"Then he posed a greater challenge. He said the way of giving is as important as the gift. You should not simply drop a bill into a cup and walk away. You must stop, look the person in the eyes, and touch his or her hands.
The reason is to preserve dignity, to see another person not as a pathology or a social condition, but as a human, with a life whose value is equal to your own. "
I feel in my soul that this is what I want to do. I live in a very affluent area and rarely encounter naked need. When I do, I give willingly. So for this to work I'm going to have to go out of my comfort zone and seek the need, then immerse myself in it and respect the dignity of those I'm serving.
*time lapse*
Ok, so writing this post made me buckle down and figure this out. I just called a food bank in Reading and signed up to volunteer 2 Wednesdays a month for 3 hours. Success! I'm excited!! I start April 12th :)
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