Give

up excuses for Lent

Every year, I hear people say, Instead of giving something up for Lent this year, Im doing something extra. By all means, do something extra! But that extra, whatever it is, does not substitute for actually giving something up. Why not?

Canonically1
Canon 1250 says that the whole of Lent is a time of penance. The preceding canon says that on days of penance, the faithful are to devote themselves to prayer, engage in works of charity, and deny themselves (emphasis mine). And, not or. The Church expects us to deny ourselves during Lent. Scripturally The Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday is the same every year. Our Lord says, When you fast. When you pray. When you give alms. He says, When, not if. We are to do all three. Moreover, in 1 John 2:16, St. John tells us: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world (RSV). The three-fold penance enjoined by Our Lord is meant to combat these three influences of the world: Lust of the eyes (greed) is countered by alms-giving; pride of life is countered by the humility of prayer, which acknowledges our lowliness before God; and lust of the flesh (bodily desires) is countered by abstaining from pleasurable things. Traditionally The current Lenten regulations are very light when compared to those of prior days. Up to the 8th century, every day of Lent was a fast day until sunset. Around the 12th century, a midday meal began to be allowed, and a smaller collation (small meal) was allowed shortly thereafter. The second collation in our current regulations was added some time in the 20th century.2 Conclusion And yet, every year, I hear people who cannot or will not give something up for Lent. Is every single thing we do so precious that we cannot give up even one of them for seven weeks? Centuries upon centuries of Christians have managed to give up something for Lent. Have we grown so soft that we cant follow their example? 1 Disclaimer: I am not a canon lawyer. 2 See The Externals of the Catholic Church, Rev. John F. Sullivan, 1917.