Although it seems to happen every year, the arrival of Lent once again caught me a bit by surprise. One reason I missed out on doing my advance planning again this year is because Lent and Valentine’s Day occur on the same day (something I can’t remember happening before).
Initially, it felt like a paradoxical occurrence. Valentine’s Day is about love and celebration; Ash Wednesday is about remembering our mortality and entering a season of sacrifice. However, combining these two days gives me a fresh perspective on Lent and a desire to incorporate more love and giving into this season.
In the Catholic Church, Lent consists of forty days stretching from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday (the start of the Triduum, which culminates in Easter Sunday). This season is based on the forty days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert, preparing for the start of his ministry.
In the gospels of Mark and Matthew, the ministry of Jesus begins with a call to repentance (Mk 1:14-15, Mt 4:17). Most biblical translations use the word “repentance” for the earlier Greek term “metanoia.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, metanoia means a transformative change of heart or spiritual conversion. Pope Benedict XVI highlighted the subtle distinction between metanoia and repentance. He said that although metanoia suggests repentance and atonement, “conversion” and “reformation” come closer to its meaning.
Lent is a season focusing on fasting, generosity, and prayer with the intent of having these practices lead us to experience “metanoia.” This year, I will focus on exploring generosity as a transformative practice to move towards more love and giving.
I think of myself as generous, but I realize that I struggle with giving lavishly, with love and an open heart, and trusting God’s abundance. During Lent, I’ll explore different aspects of generosity and approach it as a spiritual practice. My intent is to recognize opportunities to be generous and perform at least one mindful act of generosity each day. I’m curious to see what comes up during this journey and what insights I discover (with God’s help).
Is there an aspect of “fasting, generosity, and prayer” that you would like to focus on this year during Lent? Does the occurrence of Ash Wednesday on Valentine’s Day spark any ideas? Forty days is a manageable time to experiment with changes – enough to get some new habits in place but not so long that the practice is overwhelming to contemplate undertaking!
A Closing Prayer
Dear God, on this Valentine’s Day and the beginning of Lent, remind us of Your unceasing and unconditional love for us. Help us enter mindfully into the season of Lent, and guide us to choose a practice to add or a habit/indulgence that it’s time to let go for forty days. Let the message of Ash Wednesday (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”) not be distressing but a call to inspire us to action and change.
Amen.
Falling Up After 50 
How I envy your vocabulary and communication skills. I love the way you integrated Valentine’s Day and Lent. Very insightful, Tacky. And you have set the bar quite high with one mindful act of generosity per day, although how hard can it be to say something nice, or text someone a “I’m thinking of you?” And yet, it can be difficult bc life tends to get in the way. As always, you get me thinking.
LikeLike
I’m already discovering that daily life offers many opportunities to be generous, if I can just stay mindful enough to notice them! As you said, life tends to get in the way.
LikeLike
I’ve decided to focus this Lenten season on cultivating more couple time with my husband. ❤
LikeLike
That’s such a wonderful idea. What an inspirational way to integrate the start of Lent and Valentine’s day!
LikeLiked by 1 person