Lent is a time for asceticism and mortification. Both practices have been essential to the Catholic church for centuries. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we are called to pray, fast, and give alms. Perhaps the most important things we can do are to exercise self-control, self-denial, and healthy detachment, all of which are necessary to achieve holiness.
How do you make sense of losing everything? When we lost all our worldly possessions in a house fire this summer, I was left with the realization of just how truly attached to “things” I was. I had dubbed myself as a person who wasn’t overly attached to things. Growing up, my family and I moved around a lot, which did not allow for a life filled with large toy collections or tons of saved mementos. But after the fire, all that I had was the clothes on my back, it exposed the reality of my attachments. It begs the question: If Jesus were to ask me today to “deny myself, take up my cross daily and follow him” (Lk 9:23) would I be willing to leave everything and do so?
That is what the Lord is asking us to do. Maybe it isn’t in such a drastic way like living a monastic life or selling all your possessions to become a missionary, but we are ALL called to grow in holiness. Just like anything else, becoming holy does not happen overnight. It requires practice and spiritual training. Asceticism is a vehicle for learning this. Whether it’s taking a cold shower, getting rid of social media for a period of time, or fasting, ascetic practices can look different for everyone. When we practice saying no to ourselves and denying lawful things, it in turn strengthens our will against other sinful behaviors.
The house fire felt like a “lent” of my own soul. It forced me into constant prayer, fasting from all the everyday comforts we had been used to, and accepting people’s charity and almsgiving daily. The most important thing I learned was total reliance on God. I may not have had my pretty prayer corner to retreat to anymore, but that inner room of my heart, the place where I can always meet the Lord, remained. And when all the noise and distractions of my everyday life were gone, I could see the spiritual battle happening around me. The fire was my reminder that I, too, needed to be purified of these worldly attachments.
Modern culture seems to worship self-satisfaction and comfort above all else. It’s no wonder asceticism seems like an outdated practice. Despite feeling outdated, this practice is rooted in the tradition of the Catholic faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes.” These practices are not meant just for the mystics, but for you and me as well. Lent is a perfect time to lean into them.
When our souls leave this world, we don’t get to bring a suitcase filled with our favorite things. This too will be stripped away. On the other side of this emptiness, if we can begin to see it as space for growth rather than an abyss where we lose ourselves, there is the promise of eternity in heaven. May we embrace detachment from worldly comforts this Lent as we pursue the most perfect comfort of all – unity with our loving God.
AUTHOR: Sarah Basile, School Nurse
