Sacrifice - A Thought for Lent

One day recently a 7th grader asked if she could interview me about my religion. One of her questions was: have you ever sacrificed for your religion? I guess I would change the question slightly to: has sacrifice been a part of your religion? Now that we are in the season of Lent this was a good question for me to ponder.

Sacrifice, in one way or another, is a part of everyone’s life. It often involves a choice: I choose to sacrifice. In my pondering I found the most appropriate definition of sacrifice in this sense as “the surrender of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” Wow, this sounds very noble! And indeed it is, to a degree. When it comes to the purpose of Lenten sacrifice I see sacrifice as a call to change my life, to be converted more to God’s ways—that for sure is a higher claim.

So, what will I surrender for Lent? What is most precious to me? Time. During Lent one of my goals is to write one letter or card a day. This takes time and energy and is a real commitment for me. By using that time for others instead of for myself I hope to become more aware of the goodness of others and of the sacred place each one has in my life.

What will you sacrifice for Lent this year?

Marie Lucek, OP

Juneau, Alaska