Sacrifices Bring Meaning to Lent

While pondering “what we are going to sacrifice for Lent” one might consider the time as preparing to bare down for a test of endurance and ask, “When does Lent officially end?” 

Or a wink and call something a “sacrifice” won’t be much of a sacrifice, if any at all. But the biggest consideration in making Lenten sacrifices is that they should help make Lent a more meaningful and prayerful experience, say those who will be doing it together in groups and families.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “It is right to offer sacrifice to God as a sign of adoration and gratitude, supplication and communion: Every action done so as to cling to God in communion of holiness, and thus achieve blessedness, is a true sacrifice” (Para 2099).

In order for outward sacrifice to be genuine, it must be the expression of spiritual sacrifice. The Catechism further states: “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit. The prophets of the Old Covenant often denounced sacrifices that were not from the heart or not coupled with love of neighbor. Jesus recalls the words of the prophet Hosea: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’ ” (2100).

While it may seem daunting to choose a sacrifice that would fulfill these teachings, approaching it as a group or family can be a system of support in doing so.  

Brontë Picou and her husband, Brennan, parishioners at Holy Rosary Church in St. Amant, choose Lenten sacrifices for their family that are meaningful and teach their young children about the Catholic faith. Their children are Zander, 7, Tucker, 5, and Saylor, 2. 

Brontë  Picou said she has found the “biggest advice” in helping children to sacrifice is “the smaller the better” in order that the children succeed.

“God meets you where you are,” she said. 

Beyond the Lenten traditions of “going to get ashes” on Ash Wednesday and attending the Stations of the Cross, Picou noted online resources, such as catholicallyear.com and family prayer books are a helpful way to mark Lent.

One of the Picou family’s favorite ways to celebrate Lent is to make hot cross buns, which are spiced. Each bun is topped with icing in the shape of a cross to symbolize Christ’s suffering and crucifixion and the sweet promise of his resurrection. 

“That shows (the young children) it’s sweet to sacrifice because Christ will be there,” said Picou. 

In order to have more focused family time together, the Picous give up some TV time. Their fast may also include doing without an afternoon snack once a week. 

The family also marks the many well-known saints’ feast days occurring during Lent, such as St. John of the Cross on March 8. St. John of the Cross lived through decades of sin and suffering before a profound conversion that led him to embrace poverty, humility and charity. And of course, there is the feast of St. Joseph on March 19.

The Holy Week Masses and Good Friday service are also “must attend” for the family.

Picou said what is most important is to create memories during Lent that her children will pass on to their children.

“I can remember all the things I did with Mom and Dad and (my siblings),” Picou said. “The praying of the Divine Mercy Novena and other things.”

She and her husband also “frequent the sacraments” and make sure they are in a state of grace and a good example to their children.

She noted that her son Zander is preparing to receive first Communion and will soon be making his first reconciliation.

“A lot of Catholics think of confession as ‘have to go’ but we show them it’s a beautiful thing,” said Picou.

She even tells them, “Remember the time I was short with you? I’m going to take that to confession.”

And the children demonstrate they are paying attention. When Zander saw a Divine Mercy image he said the rays of light coming from Jesus’ heart were his “superpower,” just like that of a superhero.

“I thought ‘Oh wow!’ (in how true it is in a spiritual sense),” Picou said.

Lisa McAlister, also a member of Holy Rosary, and her three friends find that by sharing in their Lenten sacrifices together they are each other’s support system.

McAlister and her group of friends  – Andrea Delatte, Brandy Palmer and Stacey Brignac – met during a Cursillo retreat in 2019. They continue to keep in touch through Bible studies and spiritual reading together. Each Lent they reveal their individual sacrifices and as a system of accountability will regularly update each other on how they are doing.

In 2020, McAlister said she did not have to think about what her sacrifice would be, saying  it “came to her,” something that may resonate with many.

McAlister’s family went through the ordeal of gutting the interior of her home following the flood of 2016 and realized their home had to be elevated and once more “torn up.” McAlister called it the “icing on the cake.”

“I offered up all the annoyances and distractions,” said McAlister.

She said her group of friends have specific things going on in their lives, such as loved ones passing away, aging parents, health issues, children in need of prayers, relatives facing financial difficulties or sickness.

But McAlister remembers spiritual advice that had been passed on to her: “Don’t waste your suffering.”

She and her friends go to Scripture and meditate on what Jesus did for humanity when he died on the cross.

And knowing her group of friends will be praying the rosary, attending Mass and making their own sacrifices for her daily will help lighten the load as she goes through this Lent.

“We pray for each other daily,” said McAlister.