Life is a gift. Lent invites us to take this truth to heart by focusing on three disciplines which do of course have a place outside Lent as well.
Our acts of charity (alms-giving) affirm towards others that life
is a gift. What do we have that we have not received?
Our prayer acknowledges before God that our life is his gift. We
owe him our live and gladly dedicate it to his service, knowing that his service
is perfect freedom.
Our fasting and abstinence (whichever precise form it takes)
reminds us that life is a gift from God. We are more than food and clothing. We
are more than consumers. We reduce our intake of alcohol, chocolate, meat,
youtube videos or whatever to tell ourselves that it is not those things that
give us life but God.
Life is a gift and Lent can be life-giving (refreshing, revitalising), if we receive it from God.
