In years passed, I have never fully participated in the celebration of Lent. Many of my family members, as well as my friends, have always given up something for Lent, but I never dedicated myself to a sacrifice. It wasn’t until this year that I decided I would partake in the celebration. I attend church and received ashes on Ash Wednesday, I plan on not eating meat every Friday for the next forty days and I have already given up something, which I plan on staying dedicated to.

The tradition of Lent commences on Ash Wednesday. Ashes are placed on our foreheads as a sign of regret and sorrow. The practice of putting ashes on one’s head is a symbol of mourning and represents sorrow over our sins. It is also a symbol of the pain and death that is caused by our sins. Ash Wednesday is a significant day during Lent because it turns people away from their sins and allows them to recommit themselves to holiness.

People usually give up an indulgence that they enjoy during the season of Lent. Some individuals decide to give up the use of social media, playing video games, or watching less television. The most common sacrifice that is recognized is a person’s favorite food to eat. This is an important aspect of Lent because through the deprivation of something that provides us with pleasure we are displaying an ultimate sacrifice to God. Lent is a time for Christians to live out a sacrifice in commemoration of the horrible physical and emotional pain Jesus Christ endured.

Sacrificing during the Lenten season allows individuals to demonstrate a sense of selflessness. This is an important characteristic to embody because Christ was the epitome of selflessness, He died for our sins. Sacrificing allows us to display selflessness because we are doing it for Christ, our goal is to show him the love and respect that he has showered us with over time. Being a selfless individual is acting as Christ would. We are putting ourselves in His shoes by depriving ourselves of an indulgence. Of course, our sacrifice is not as extreme as Christ’s, but it helps us realize how he felt, only on a more simplistic level.

This Lent, I encourage everyone to give up something that could be considered a bit of a struggle. As the days go by, you might find out something about yourself that you didn’t know was in you. But Lent isn’t just about going without something; it’s about being a better individual as a whole. Being a better Catholic and reaching out to God is something everyone should attempt to do.

This Lent, be generous, be kind to others, do-good deeds and reach out to God more. Reaching out to God doesn’t necessarily mean going to Church more but say a prayer or two almost every day. Staying connected to your faith and keeping a relationship between both Christ and God is very important. This Lent, don’t just wait till Easter Sunday to go to Church, celebrate throughout the forty days and aim to become a better person.