***
I was teaching up the hill at our parish school last week and asked the middle school kids a simple question: “What are you giving up for Lent?”
Answers ranged from, “Every drink except water and milk.” To, “chocolate, candy, and the incessant need to talk in class.”
One student even said, “Instead of giving something up, I’m choosing to pray every night.”
Loved that.
***
But the most common answer was nothing. Unsure if they heard me, I’d ask again. Still, many students looked at me like I had two heads.
“Give something up for Lent? Why do that? I’m doing nothing.”
***
That’s not the answer I was hoping for. But if we dig a little deeper, perhaps they’re on to something.
Let’s do nothing for Lent.
But not in the sense they may have intended it; not in the sense of avoiding the Lord or our Christian duty to do penance.
Rather, let’s do nothing by sitting in front of the Lord without any other distractions.
Imagine being still for 10 minutes a day, just waiting for the Lord to speak.
No iPhone, no email, no children, no steering wheel in front of you. Just 10 minutes of silence. What might the Lord say?
***
Perhaps he’ll clarify some of your future plans or bring to light an area of your life where he may be neglected.
Maybe the Lord will say nothing at all.
But the simple practice of taking the time to acknowledge that God is important and worthy of our time is itself a blessing.
Imagine that, doing nothing for 10 minutes a day during Lent.
enjoyed