Holiness Habits for Lent

All three Lenten disciplines assist us in developing a sense of selflessness, which is the key to holiness. This means breaking the habit of putting ourselves and our own needs first.

Holiness Habit #1: Prayer

We assert ourselves and our egos by talking. In fact, the ego by definition is that internal voice that yammers incessantly about me, me, me. One of the best ways to “pick up our cross daily”—to extinguish our old self, our ego self—is to take some time away from words.

When our words cease, the ego is neutralized. At the same time, a space opens up into which God can speak instead. What does he say? God says exactly what we need to hear: that we cannot (and do not have to) save ourselves. He reminds us that this mission has been accomplished for us by Jesus’ Death on the Cross, and that, although we are not worthy of this gift by nature, we have been made worthy of it through grace.

This is why Jesus said, “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.” (Matthew 6:7) It’s also why God said through the psalmist, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10) Both are God’s polite way of saying, “Please shut up, just for a moment.”

The essence of prayer is silence—which douses the ego as surely as water does fire. It also creates a space into which a host of other good and selfless habits can flow.

So, the first thing you need to do this Lent is to find some time to be silent. Just stop the flow of words, even if only for a few minutes each day. Neutralize your ego, and create some space for God to speak to you.

Holiness Habit #2: Fasting

When babies are hungry, they cry. That’s how we are born: obsessed with our own needs. A consumer society perpetuates this infantile state. It wants to make sure that our focus remains on ourselves and that our wants are perceived as our needs. When we intentionally put the brakes on consuming—whether it be food, drink, sex, or material goods—we are introducing a new habit that challenges the old. We are shifting the focus away from ourselves and our own “needs” and enabling ourselves to be more attuned to the needs of others. In other words, we are shifting from selfishness to selflessness. And if the Cross of Jesus stands for anything at all, it stands for the death of the self and the birth of a new life in God.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs teaches that physiological needs must be tended to first before one can progress to paying attention to deeper needs such as self-actualization. This same wisdom is at the heart of the Catholic practice of fasting: the key to moving up the ladder of spiritual mastery begins at the physiological level. The way to one’s heart is indeed through one’s stomach.

In the desert, Jesus was tempted to turn a stone into bread—to take care of his own physical needs. Instead, he remained focused on what truly sustained him: the Word of God. We are tempted to think that many things in life sustain us when truly, God alone sustains us. Through fasting, Catholics learn to practice self-denial, to lead a life of moderation that deepens our compassion for people in need, and to develop a deeper hunger and thirst for God.

Holiness Habit #3: Almsgiving

One of the most dramatic conversion moments in life is becoming a parent. You no longer get to sleep when you want, eat when you want, or watch TV when you want. You no longer get to come and go as you please. Your money is no longer just for you. And somebody is constantly demanding your attention. You have no choice but to forget yourself. You are compelled to embrace a burden of responsibility—but it’s a burden you can’t imagine being without.

To grow in holiness is a similar task. It requires you to grow selfless and to carry a burden of responsibility—but a burden that Jesus says is “light.” (Matthew 11:30) Why is it so light? Because we are giving the “heaviness” of ourselves and our own concerns away.

One good way to do this (short of parenthood) is through generosity toward others. Generosity enables us to rise above ourselves and to live, as St. Ignatius of Loyola said, as a person for others.

Remember, when Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God was in our midst, he wasn’t saying it was tucked away inside of us; he was saying it was within reach. To grasp something within reach, we must reach out; we must also reach out in order to give. By extending ourselves, we lose ourselves and gain a new life simultaneously.

Isn’t that cool?

Practicing Holiness Habits

To take a fresh look at our Lenten practices, it may be helpful to consider alternate names for these holiness habits: stopping the flow of words (prayer), stopping the flow of consumption (fasting), and increasing the flow of generosity (almsgiving). Whatever you call them, though, they are “kingdom habits” that dislodge the old and usher in the new.

This article for your Lenten reflection is based on the book Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ.