Have you done Lenten gift-shopping?

Can you name a memorable Lent in your life? Most of us can share wonderful stories about other Christian events, such as Christmases past and childhood Easters. But coming up with a Lent worth recalling isn't as easy.

One reason is obvious: 40 days of penance, reconciliation and renewal don't lend themselves to the same sort of lingering memories which happy and celebratory occasions automatically spawn. But there is another reason, one that doesn't let us off the hook: Many of us haven't approached Lent with the same sort of emotional commitment we give to other feasts and observances. There's nothing memorable because, frankly, we didn't do anything worth remembering.

But this Lent can be different if we choose to make it so. We can decide right now to make the same sort of commitment to meditation and selflessness as we do to celebration and gift-giving. In fact, if we think about it, Lent really is a time of giving gifts:

* To God, we can give the gift of a deepened prayer life by vowing right now to attend Mass more often, read the Bible more frequently or try out new forms of prayer.

* To others, we can give the gift of a better life. During Lent, Operation Rice Bowl (see page 13) provides the opportunity for us to link with the poor of the world through prayer and donations. This weekend, a generous contribution to the annual appeal for the Black, Native American and Latin American missions (see page 5) will help ensure that tens of thousands of people hear the Word of God.

* To ourselves, we can give the gifts of receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, of spiritual reading, of a weekend retreat or parish mission, of meditating on our faults and ways to improve our lives, of reconciling with our neighbors, and of coming to a better relationship with God.

If we do some of those things, we will be better people -- for ourselves, for others and for God. That's worth remembering.

(02-26-98)
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