Just Right

Even when making space is the goal, actual achievement can be tough. The everyday, pre-Lent world doesn't just pack up and move over, just because the request is sincere. And it's not like there is a magic phrase that the initiated have to set all things proper. The perils are many and the faithful must always be on their guard. But how does one begin? What makes one thing a good Lenten sacrifice and something else a poor one?

Well, for starters a 'just right' Lenten sacrifice must satisfy the Goldilocks principle - not too hot, not too cold, but 'just right'. It needs to be achievable, and not just barely achievable, because there are certain to be unforeseen pressures and conflicts which lead to temporary setbacks. Not only do large sacrifices more often than not end in failure, but the effort required to succeed may itself distort life so much that it is unsustainable and counterproductive. Included in "achievable" is an allowance for changing circumstances. Aiming to attend morning Mass every day may need to give way to a friend's personal crisis that intrudes at 4 am. But a goal too easy can also be an impediment to success. Lapsing into old behaviors is always a risk, and promising to do something simple or of little personal meaning invites forgetfulness.

The best Lenten sacrifice must be 'just right' in another way - it must hold hope for spiritual growth and so must balance worthy activity with thoughtful contemplation. This is a personal optimum because what might be exhausting work for one person might be aggravatingly easy for another. And what might strike one person as just the way things are may theologically challenge another in ways too extreme. And an hour for some might just be beginning, while for others might be past quitting time. Ideally, then, the selected sacrifice needs to meet individual needs for Christian purposefulness, for reflection and introspection, and for a manageable commitment of time, energy and money.

The final 'just right' should be considered from God's perspective. He has gifted each person in different ways and all can choose to devote those gifts to his service, but so often there is no single way that is clearly His desire. Indeed, within the journey taken lies a benefit all to itself and the sacrifice chosen may not be nearly as important as the manner in which it is given away and the attitude that is taken by the believer. So a person who feels called to sing praises to God every day may need to consider who God is trying to serenade.

Getting the selection 'just right' is not easy and may even be harder now that the subject has been examined closely. But maybe this is just an opportunity, a chance to get together with the One we serve and listen to the way He would lead. Whether it be through meditation, prayer, reflection, or even a list of pluses and minuses, being open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit as one embarks on a Lenten quest should have top priority. More than just appropriate, it is where all beginnings should start, where all middles should pass through and where all endings should finish.

May God lead you to practices that are 'just right' for you in His eyes.