Spiritual Game Plan

Lent is a week and a half away. Ash Wednesday comes only four weeks to the day after Ephiphany this year. Seems kind of....odd in a way. We just finished celebrating the birth of the Infant and now we enter into the time of preparing for His Passion and Resurrection.

I have always loved Lent. I'm not too sure why but it's my favorite season of the Church year. And each year I try to "plan" what I'll be doing for the 40 days. Last year I was going to read through and meditate upon the Psalms. This year I'm not too sure yet although I have a few ideas.

In this weekend's bulletin Fr. Stowe wrote up a beautiful "pre-Lenten" article. I want to share part of here.

"As I got holder, I tapped into the wisdom of the Church, and formed a spiritual game plan for Lent. As Bill Belicheck is preparing his offense, his defense, and his special teams, so too is our Lenten Game Plan three tiered: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.

Something added, something lost, and something given. Lent can be one of the most grace-filled moments of our liturgical year and the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. With a week and a half until Lent's Kick-off, what's your plan?...

...It seems that as I get older, time goes by faster. Without a plan for Lent, both time and this opportunity to grow in love with the Lord will pass. Take some time, plan ahead. Remember, God will never allow us to out do Him in generosity..."

I have a tendency to "over-do" it when it comes to planning especially for Lent. And then get very discouraged when I can't "follow through". So this year I'm asking in prayer what it is that God wants me to do. Hopefully my "Lenten Game Plan" will be all set on Ash Wednesday.

What is your game plan?