Small Steps This Lent

This Lent has been difficult but fruitful thus far. I gave up soda and fast food (a cold Coca Cola and some piping hot fries sound so good right now!), but God is using those small sacrifices to point to deeper vices that He is calling me to root out of my heart so that there is more room for Him. Trying to make myself decrease while letting Christ increase in me is a painful process. I fight it even though I know it's good for me. Lent reminds me that the cross leads to the crown. Crucifixion agony must come before resurrection joy. I want the crown and the joy without the scourging or the cross. But Christ clearly showed us that is not the way. Instead, we are to carry our crosses like He carried His.

This Lent I feel like God has placed upon my shoulder a cross with an inscription that reads: DFSAE (Detach from Self and Expectations). I don't like the cross He has chosen for me and I keep trying to give it back---even though I know it is but a twig compared to the crosses of so many others and a mere sliver compared to Christ's cross. Again and again God gently places it on my shoulder. Again and again I fall, I complain, I try to give it back. Again and again He tells me, "My child, this is the way to sanctification, get up, try again, trust Me because I love you." I search for a Simon to help me, and I realize God has given me many Simons. I am so blessed. But it is still hard. It's supposed to be. I pray that your Lent is as hard as it's supposed to be too.

Along with working on my own spiritual growth as I prepare for Easter, I have tried to adopt a few family practices to foster a fruitful Lent in my children's hearts. We made a "Cross of Small Sacrifices" which we taped to our door as a constant reminder to offer small sacrifices for our love of Jesus who offered the greatest sacrifice for love of us. The kids get to put a fun Christian sticker on the cross each time they make a sacrifice (I've even put a few stickers on there myself because the cross reminds me to sacrifice too!) On Easter morning, I will place the cross on our table and have it covered with candy to symbolize that our little sacrifices result it very sweet graces from above.

As a family, we are also trying to give away one item a day during Lent as a reminder to purge ourselves and our home of unnecesarry things---which also fosters the virtue of charity as we give to those in need. The older boys also brought home Rice Bowls for us to fill with money that will go to the poor people of the world. Hopefully, as the bowls fill with change, our hearts are being changed and filled with generosity. Other little things that we are doing include: Reciting the Stations of the Cross on Friday at our church, and adding a morning offering prayer at breakfast time to offer our day, our thoughts, and our lives to Jesus.

I also started a daily devotional book called "Small Steps for Catholic Moms," which is really helping me make small steps towards self-less-ness this Lent. Here are some Saint quotes from that book that are helping me to carry my cross. May they help you carry yours as well.


"Every man is on a cross. Some ask to be taken down like the thief on the left; others ask to be taken up like the thief on the right." ~Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"When we hear people talk of riches, honors, and amusements of the world, let us remember that all things have an end, and let us say: 'My God, I wish for Thee alone and nothing more.'" ~St. Alphonsus Liguori

"In detachment, the spirit finds quiet and repose for coveting nothing. Nothing wearies it by elation, and nothing oppresses it by dejection, because it stands in the center of its own humility." ~St. John of the Cross

"Let us detach ourselves in spirit from all that we see and cling to that which we believe. This is the cross which we must imprint on all our daily actions." ~St. Peter Damian

"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough." ~St. Teresa of Avila

"God hasn't called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful... I just take one day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come. We have only today to love Jesus." ~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I pray that you are taking some small steps towards sanctification this Lenten season too!