Lent is not a warm, fuzzy time. It’s challenging—physically, emotionally, spiritually. Self-reflective in a way that can be uncomfortable. Especially when we reflect on our sinfulness.
But the opportunity in Lent is this: from that sinfulness, we can return to the Lord. Follow Him. Fight for Him with renewed energy.
Because we see both our wretchedness and His mercy. Our failure and His perfection.
Saint Gregory the Great put it this way:
“An army chief on the battlefield has more respect for the soldier who, having once given way to flight, returns and attacks the enemy bravely than for the soldier who never turned tail but neither ever performed any act of valor.”
Read that again.
Even though we might have been lost. Even though we have fled from the fight. We can return and fight bravely.
That’s what Lent is for.
We’ve fled before. We’ve turned away from the fight. We’ve run from what we knew we should do.
But that’s not the end of the story.
The end of the story is: we return. And we fight bravely.
Let us pray.
Lord, give us the courage to come back, to face the next challenge, to attack the enemy with renewed strength. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
