Lent Begins: Sacrifice is a Blessing not a Burden

Today's Gospel reading from St. Matthew has Jesus admonishing his disciples to do three things that, for us, establish the program for the Lenten season: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. All these three involve sacrifice of various kinds. Prayer requires that we sacrifice time for God. Almsgiving, our money or other resources. Fasting is the sacrifice of food or other goods. But instead of looking at these sacrifices as the imposition of a burden upon our lives, Jesus wants us to see the invitation to sacrifice as the invitation to be more free from the cares of the world and thus more alive. Let's let our Lenten observance this year lead to greater life!