Keeping It Simple

It’s hard to believe but another Lent is upon us! During Lent we are to remember the forty days Jesus spent in the desert praying and fasting as He prepared for His three years of public life ending in His passion, death and resurrection from the dead.

On Easter Sunday have you ever thought, ‘I just let another Lent slip by without doing anything beneficial?’ Most medical professionals are overachievers and tend to make resolutions too difficult to accomplish. How about keeping things simple this year? Lent is an opportunity to grow closer to God and if we keep things simple, we will have a greater chance of succeeding.

The classic triad is incorporating more prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Here are several simple suggestions:

1. Rise earlier in the morning. With an extra thirty minutes, you will have time to say the Rosary, read a few verses from the Bible, and spend some quiet meditative time with God. It is only during silence that we will hear the voice of God.

2. Spend less time on your smart devices. If you limit their usage, God will be more present in your mind.

3. Find a church nearby and drop in once a week for some adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and/or attend Mass an extra time each week.

4. Pick one charity dedicated to helping the poor and needy in your area such as St. Vincent De Paul, Catholic Social Services or Catholic Charities and send them a donation recalling what Jesus said as recorded in the 25 chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, “Whatever you did to the least, you did to Me.”

Be forewarned that when we trudge ahead with our Lenten resolution, the evil one will be there lurking, tempting us to cast aside our Lenten plan. But have confidence that Jesus, who was tempted during His forty days in the desert ––that first Lent –– will be there to help us stay firm and persevere. Never forget the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Joseph, our Guardian Angels and the rest of the angels and saints in heaven. They are there to help us with their prayers. Let us never forget to ask them for assistance.

As we navigate this season of Lent, let none of us forget to keep each other in our prayers. Because we are baptized Christians, we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord because God the Father has adopted us.

Please know that I will keep all the members of the Catholic Medical Association in my prayers this Lenten Season as well as your family and intentions.

Remember, ‘We are dust and unto dust we will return!’ But if we imitate Jesus during His forty days in the desert, we will share in His Easter Glory.

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