The great season of Lent is upon us. The ashes imposed at the beginning of this holy time are a sign and promise of conversion. Girded by prayer, fasting, and works of mercy, let us strive with God’s help to make this Lent the most spiritually productive time of our lives. 

How can we live this holy season in a way that will help us to draw closer to God? As always, Jesus has the answer: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:12). Self-denial is an essential part of the Christian life because this practice opens our hearts to the presence of God. 

St. Thomas Aquinas asserted that “It is not only necessary for the perfection of charity that a man should sacrifice his exterior possessions: he must also, in a certain sense, relinquish himself” (Aquinas, On the Perfection of the Spiritual Life, chapter 10). Sacrifice and acts of self-denial are means that enable us to give up our own will – even when it is directed towards good and legitimate purposes – and surrender ourselves more completely to the will of God. 

Let me encourage each of you to be generous in your Lenten sacrifices. Making a common sacrifice as a family is often a way to encourage one another in spiritual progress. Our sacrifices don’t have to be huge. In fact, they should not be so difficult that we find them impossible to fulfill. The consistent, small sacrifice often does more good for the soul, in that it gives us small victories (so necessary for building up good and virtuous habits) and helps to cultivate an inner spirit of self-denial, which can then remain with us once Lent is ended.

For God is far superior to all his creation, since everything which exists has been made by God and for him. And so, in deserting God, who is beyond compare, for the inferior works of creation, a man shows that he values God, the author of creation, less than creation itself. 

The Lord himself reminds us: Whoever loves me will keep my commandments. And this is my commandment: that you love one another. So the man who does not love his neighbor does not obey God’s command. But one who does not obey his command cannot love God. A man is blessed if he can love all men equally. Moreover, if he truly loves God, he must love his neighbor absolutely. Such a man cannot hoard his wealth. Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs. 

Since he imitates God’s generosity, the only distinction he draws is the person’s need. He does not distinguish between a good man and a bad one, a just man and one who is unjust. Yet his own goodness of will makes him prefer the man who strives after virtue to the one who is depraved. 

A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money; it is manifested still more by personal service as well as by the communication of God’s word to others. In fact, if a man’s service towards his brothers is genuine and if he really renounces worldly concerns, he is freed from selfish desires. For he now shares in God’s own knowledge and love. Since he does possess God’s love, he does not experience weariness as he follows the Lord his God. Rather, following the prophet Jeremiah, he withstands every type of reproach and hardship without even harboring an evil thought towards any man. 

For Jeremiah warns us: Do not say: “We are the Lord’s temple.” Neither should you say: “Faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me.” By itself faith accomplishes nothing. For even the devils believe and shudder. 

No, faith must be joined to an active love of God which is expressed in good works. The charitable man is distinguished by sincere and long-suffering service to his fellow man: it also means using things aright.