A painter had a bad habit of thinning paint which enabled him to submit lower bids.
His wife begged him to quit doing that, lest God punish him. He replied, “God and I are good friends. He would never punish me!”
One day he was painting window frames on the outside of the parish church.
Once again, he began to thin the paint. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the scaffold he was on, and fortunately for him, he fell into a soft stiff bush which saved him.
Utterly terrified he begged, “God, I’m sorry for thinning the paint. I want to change. Please tell me what I need to do!”
A voice from Heaven thundered, “Repaint and thin no more!”
On Ash Wednesday, we received a cross of ashes to remind us that when we die, we will return to dust.
We are to use the gift of our brief life to “Repent, sin no more, and believe the good news.”
The Ash Wednesday gospel reminded us that we can choose a penance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to help us grow closer to Christ and renew our baptismal promises with deepened faith at Easter.
Lent obligations
During Lent, we are obliged to fast and abstain from food and drink according to Lenten regulations.
In his March 3, 2017, Lenten homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis quoted Isaiah 58:6-8, which reveals that God also wants fasting that changes our heart and results in freeing those bound unjustly, frees the oppressed, shares bread with the hungry, shelters the oppressed and homeless, and clothes the naked.
We can also fast from controlling others, from gossip, from unjust criticism, and from resentments.
We can fast from poor listening and try to listen better to family, friends, co-workers, and others.
We can fast from complaining about what we don’t have and appreciate what we have.
We can fast from being judgmental and impatient and strive to be more patient and charitable.
Prayer is another fruitful Lenten penance. Prayer opens us to God’s love.
We can do spiritual reading, participate in Mass, pray the Rosary, and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
We can attend Lenten talks and devotions or go on a retreat.
We can visit shut-ins, volunteer at homeless shelters, or participate in pro-life activities.
Parents should encourage their children to choose a Lenten penance as part of a family.
Family prayer helps to bring families closer together and closer to Heaven. The family that prays together, stays together.
Parents can make Fridays of Lent a special reminder of Christ’s sacrificial love for their children.
The family can also attend Mass together, pray the Rosary, contribute to a Lenten poor box, or visit shut-ins, senior citizens, or retired priests.
Parents can go on a short or long pilgrimage with their family or friends.
Almsgiving is another recommended penance.
We can respond to the hidden poor in our midst who need encouragement and physical and spiritual support.
We can contribute money to help countries recover from tragedies.
We can sponsor a Third World child or contribute to food pantries.
Ideally, the alms or time that we share should somehow bring us into solidarity with the people we help.
Journey of hope
On March 1, 2017, in his Ash Wednesday homily, Pope Francis said that while Lent is certainly a time of mortification, it is also a journey of hope that leads to the joy of Christ’s Resurrection and requires both daily sacrifice and love.
Someone wrote anonymously, “People often complain how ugly the world has become. I often agree, but something nags at me. I think it is hope. Despite the darkness, I have learned to see glimmers of hope that were there but I could not see until I changed my attitude.”
Archbishop Fulton Sheen stated that a decline in the belief in immortality often makes us take even little things too seriously.
During Lent, perhaps we can seek to cultivate a healthy sense of humor which our darkened world desperately needs, and can help us live the gospel.
As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to reflect Christ’s transforming light in daily life, family life, friendships, recreation, work, or wherever we are.
Just as a stained glass window reveals its colorful beauty when illuminated by sunlight, so do we bear witness to Christ when we permit his light to shine with hope during dark times.
Earth is our temporary home. Heaven is our eternal home.
We are given a certain amount of time, talent, and treasure that Jesus wants us to use to help to bring about the kingdom.
At the Judgement, we will give an accounting of our stewardship to Christ, the King.
Lent challenges us to repent and sin no more.
During Lent, we are to repent, sin no more, and rise to a new way of life so that at Easter when we renew our Baptismal promises, we will also have renewed our lives as an Easter Christian.
Fr. Donald Lange is a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison.