Happy Sunday, my friends!
This week, I’m taking a break from writing about “work” or “engineering” topics to write about something more important to me: faith.
Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, a holy day of prayer and fasting that marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is a 40-day period of preparation leading up to the Easter season, during which Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
To prepare, we focus on three things: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. To prepare for that preparation, I’m writing the following guide for myself, and I hope you find it valuable too.
Prayer
There is a lot I could say about prayer. Prayer is raising one’s heart and mind to the Almighty. When I pray, I often find it helpful to use a framework (I’m left-brained, go figure). The framework I use most often is ACTS: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. For some reading on prayer, I recommend Bishop Robert Barron’s book, An Introduction to Prayer.
Adoration
Adoration is an expression of worship that honors God for who He is. This is not about the things He does in our lives, necessarily, but a focus on His power, character, and majesty.
I could, and should, spend so much more of my time in this kind of prayer. Great is His goodness, and wondrous His deeds.
I will extol thee, my God and King, and bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day I will bless thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
Contrition
Prayer of contrition is acknowledging your sin with a repentant heart. To sin is to miss the target. In the Catholic tradition, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where, through the power of God, sanctifying grace is restored to our souls. We pray the act of contrition below at the end of the confession.
While we can and should go to confession on some regular occasion, it is not the only place where we can ask for our Lord’s forgiveness. Just as we should apologize immediately when we wrong someone, so too with our God. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because they offend You, my God, Who are all good and deserving my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
Thanksgiving
We have so much to be thankful for. Every day is literally a blessing. Take the time to recount what you’re thankful for, praise Him for the blessing, and be glad.
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Supplication
What do we need? Patience to deal with screaming children (literally me right now), strength to deal with a tough life circumstance, prudence to make the right decision?
Whatever we need, we ask. This is also a great opportunity to intercede on behalf of others. Is your family member going through a tough time? Pray for them. Is a friend going through an interview process? Pray for them. God’s will be done.
Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Fasting
From meat
It is Church tradition to fast from food on Fridays, but especially from meat. Fasting from meat has deep roots in the history of the Church, as meat was seen as an indulgence. Today, we continue to observe this tradition of fasting from meat as an act of self-sacrifice, training our bodies, minds, and souls to rely more deeply on our Creator.
From distraction
It’s also customary to pick another thing to fast from, if you can. In today’s age, fasting from distraction could do us (read: me) a world of great good. It’s helpful to remember that just like with meat, fasting for fasting’s sake is not the point; the point is to empty yourself so that the Lord can fill you back up.
Almsgiving
Almsgiving is the act of giving to those in need. Often, giving is thought about in these three categories: time, talent, and treasure.
Time
How can you give yourself to someone else? You can spend time with them. You can call them, text them, or get coffee with them. Giving time is never about quantity; it’s always about quality.
Talent
Do you have a gift? Use it. How can you use the talents that God gave you to serve others? It can be simple: I know how to get pictures printed from my phone. My grandpa doesn’t. I can use that knowledge to help.
Treasure
Donating money or goods to a charity or to those in need is an excellent way to give alms. How much? As C.S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity, “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.”
In sum
I pray you have a most wonderful Lent! 🙏
📝 In Case You Missed It…
I spent some time this weekend reorganizing the mind garden because it was getting pretty messy. Now, instead of a bunch of seemingly random files sprinkled in a couple of folders, they’re better organized based on their topic.
📚 What I’m Consuming
Three Bad Managers (article) has got me thinking about the difference between a manager and a leader.
Invest Political Capital (article) offers an interesting perspective on how to fill your piggy bank and spend wisely at work to get things done.
Peace be with you,
Jacob
psst… hey, could you forward this to someone you think would find it valuable? I’d greatly appreciate it!