Do you have a plan for Lent?
While it may seem a little early to be thinking about Lent, this important season in the Church will be here before we know it. The Valentine’s Day displays adorning the stores, even before Christmas had officially ended, provided a heart-filled reminder of the swift movement of time between holidays.
Additionally, thinking about Lent in order to formulate a plan well ahead of Lent for practicing prayer, almsgiving, and fasting, is prudent. I am a planner. I really enjoy making lists, checking them twice, and crossing each task off the list. That is probably why I enjoy using my Daybook//Catholic Planner so much! Not surprising, I am already thinking about my Lenten plan.
The Grace Trifecta
Each year along with the Lenten tenets of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; I try to include my usual, daily three-fold plan of connecting with the Lord that I’ve dubbed, “the grace trifecta.” This is daily participation in some form of prayer, sacrament, and the Scriptures. It builds a firm foundation of faith upon which we can grow even deeper in love with Christ during Lent.
Why Strive to be Full of Grace
The Blessed Mother illustrates the blessing of being filled with grace. Her fiat would have been impossible with the gift of grace she’d received from God. Grace is… the undeserved yet freely given gift of God’s holy spirit within us. It is that gift of Grace that helps us to answer yes when God calls upon us, to choose the right path, and to continue to grow in faith and love. Grace is a critical ingredient provided by the Lord to recognize the mystical and beautiful of the Catholic faith, to deepen our desire to know and love him; and to strengthen our resolve to remain faithful.
So what does this have to do with Lent?
It is during this blessed time that I work more diligently on the trifecta practices so to strengthen them for the rest of the year. I construct a solid yet flexible plan so that I can make the most of my Lenten season. I know that there will be times during the 40 plus days that I will feel as if I’ve failed at Lent, but I know I can’t “fail at Lent,” quite frankly sometimes — life is Lent. However, if I have a Lenten plan, history has proven I will be much more likely to succeed in growing closer to Christ during that time.
So what is my plan?
I want to pray more, engage in many more conversations with God. Every Lent, I will strive to pray the rosary daily. Sometimes meditating upon the Mysteries, other times using it as a “Spiritual Abacus“, and still other times barely completely one decade but still considering that a big win for the day.
I will participate more often in the sacraments, making a holy hour or trying to attend Mass at least once during the week. And lastly, I will spend more time in the scriptures, this year I plan to accomplish this goal by leading a virtual book club featuring my new book, The Gift of invitation: 7 Ways Jesus Invites You into a Life of Grace.
What Will be Your Plan this Lent?
However you decide to Lent this year, it’s never too early to plan. In fact, it is never too early to embrace a grace-filled life; no need to wait for Lent. How will you plan right now to better incorporate more prayer, sacrament, and Scripture into your life?