Penitential Joy

Rose Folsom found out the hard way that small, frequent penances can be as powerful as big ones.

Chocolate, schmocolate. There’s nothing wrong with giving up food items for Lent, but we need to ask: are we getting to the core of penance that way, or just checking a box?

We know that conversion is the point of Lent, not suffering itself. The U.S. Bishops tell us:

The need for conversion and salvation is unchanging, as is the necessity that, confessing our sinfulness, we perform … acts of penance in pledge of our inward penitence and conversion. (United States Council of Catholic Bishops Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence)

Small Is Beautiful

Penance, yes, but keeping it small can be a good idea. I learned that the hard way. The first time I fasted for 24 hours, it was a white-knuckle pity party the whole time. I checked that box, but I didn’t feel any closer to God afterward. I had to wonder if there was another way. Can we let God form us into the image of Christ in a way that lets penance be a source of joy? I think we can. We just need to make the penance doable and do it for love of God and neighbor.

Here’s one idea in three simple steps:

First, prayerfully determine your predominant fault. Is it impatience, or entertaining critical thoughts, or snapping at your husband or coworkers? If you can’t decide, just pick one behavior you’d like God to heal. That makes for a simple start. After all, it doesn’t really matter which one you pick because cultivating one virtue makes them all stronger!

Second, prayerfully use your common sense to decide one little change in behavior that would help turn that vice into a virtue. We’re talking baby steps—something small. For example, if your fault is anger, ask your Guardian Angel to nudge you to count to 10 (or even 5!) before you speak when you get mad. That’s all. That’s your victory. Anything that happens after that count of 10, well, you can work on that later.

Another example is impatience. Long grocery line? Assume God has allowed the delay because someone needs a prayer. Ask God who it is and ask him to bless that person. Boom—you’ve redeemed that time for Christ. And if the grocery line is really long, the impatience will probably emerge again. Perfect chance to rack up those Lenten victories. And don’t worry if your emotions don’t track perfectly with the prayer. Saying the little prayer with good intention is the victory.

Overeating? Put 10% less food on your plate than you would have before. And intentionally skip one Reese’s (or, in my case, a York Peppermint Patty) each day.

Doable. Intentional. For love of God.

Third, keep a record of your victories in a journal or app, or send yourself a text at the end of the day. And be sure to thank God for your wins, because you know you didn’t do it on your own.

Fresh Start

Try to see yourself as starting anew each day, or each hour fresh with Jesus. Bring things to Confession as needed. God forgets your confessed sins and sends you out of the confessional shiny new. The secret is to keep your focus on gratitude for the victories and how much grace you’re drawing down in just a few seconds each time.

Click to tweet:
We show up poor, with our “two fish,” and God responds with abundant grace for our souls and for the world. #CatholicMom

In our limited way, we’re living out Christ’s victory over sin and death. And by keeping our penances small and frequent, we’re cultivating our humility as well. That is, we show up poor, with our “two fish,” and God responds with abundant grace for our souls and for the world.

Keep it doable, keep depending on God, keep beginning again, and you just might have the most joyful Lent ever.

Copyright 2023 Rose Folsom
Images: DepositPhotos.com, licensed by author