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Father Len explains the Catholic tradition of Lent, an annual 40 day journey of recognizing and facing our flaws and weaknesses in order to become who we are meant to be.
Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom
- To illustrate the Lenten journey, Father Len shares the inspiring story of two childhood friends from Idaho who decide to go on a 500 mile pilgrimage in Italy with one pushing the other in a wheelchair the entire way.
- “I’ll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair” by Patrick Gray & Justin Skeesuck
- The Way of St. James, Camino de Santiago
- Lent is a journey in the heart to becoming more loving and compassionate.
- Lent is a death process where we die to our old flawed selves in order to make room for different, changed, and better selves.
- Lent is about recognizing and giving up personal flaws and weaknesses like pride, anger, anxiety, addictions, and selfishness in order to grow in compassion, gratitude, love and holiness.
- The modern myth of following your bliss, doing only what makes you happy, and avoiding whatever makes you uncomfortable leads to self-destruction rather than happiness.
- Facing and entering our darkest part, our greatest weakness leads to enlightenment and discovering the divine.
- Running away from everything that makes you uncomfortable ensures that you will never discover who you are meant to be.
- Lent is a time to die to superficial faith and discover what real faith and religion is about.
- Lent is about self-examination and transformation.
- “You only get one crack at life. Why go for the comfortable? Why not become the best possible version of yourself?” – Father Len