Rev. Dave Erickson (with Cosmas and Damian) Pastor, Holy Rosary Church Wyoming Catholic College Campus Lander, WY

With each season of Lent God invites us to draw closer to Him through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are the three basic tenets of the spiritual life and union with God. Not only Jews and Christians have practiced them, but almost every religion in world history has followed these three basic tenets.

Notice what Jesus says: “When you pray,” not if you pray, but when you pray “go to your room, close your door, and pray to your father in secret.” The Catechism, quoting St. Alphonsus, states: “Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned.” A life of prayer is a basic necessity for friendship with God. As we know, the greatest prayer is the Holy Mass because it renews Jesus’ sacrifice which opens the graces of heaven to us. Whether the public prayer of the Mass or a secret prayer, we are encouraged to go to our room, that is, go deep inside of our hearts and unite it with God.

The second basic practice is fasting. Jesus says not if but when you fast. Until about 1960, every generation of Christians fasted. It's time to return to the practice. Fasting, as we know, involves giving up something for love of God. Many people will give up a favorite food this lent out of love for God. This is good. But the practice of fasting engenders self-denial--which fortifies and prepares us to overcome temptations to sin. The more we fast, the stronger we become to overcome temptation, the less we sin and as consequence draw closer to God.

Jesus says when you give alms--a third basic necessity that will draw us closer to God. Alms are acts of charity directed toward the good of our neighbor. Giving to the poor, visiting the sick, supporting the Church are all acts of charity directed toward our neighbor. Charity toward our neighbor covers a multitude of sin and, therefore, draws our hearts closer to God.

It is a time to get back to the basics; it’s a time that we can forget our past mistakes and look forward to new opportunities to love God with all of our hearts.

When we hear a message like this--pray, fast, give alms--we can find excuses and rationalizations to run away from the struggle. Yet there is a universal law which says no one is crowned without first the struggle. No merit is given to those who have not first fought. A good athlete does not become good without disciplining himself to go the extra mile through countless days of training and practice. They are crowned with success because they put their hearts into it. If the discipline of Lent means anything it means that our desire to be friends with God, to grow in union with God, necessitates that we put our whole mind, strength, and hearts into it. The ashes on our foreheads remind us that life is fleeting and fragile, that we want to return to God, and that we are trying with all our heart and strength to be holy--through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving--and as consequence draw our hearts ever closer to God.