Little skirmishes

In the most recent edition of The Catholic Spirit (the publication of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and Saint Paul), Fr. Michael Van Sloun wrote about almsgiving during Lent as a form of repentance.

He quoted from Tobit 12:8-9: "Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life." He also referred to Jesus' instructions about it in Matthew 6:2-4 and 19:21 and then went on to discuss the corollary principle of self-denial.

When we give alms we deny ourselves something that we could otherwise have had with that money. But if we couple self-denial (fasting, abstinence) with almsgiving we deny ourselves with a purpose in mind - to aid the poor. So, he suggested that, when we fast, each pang of hunger is a little test for us to prove that we can choose God and others over ourselves.

When we feel hunger from fasting, we can use it as a call to prayer. Then, he said:

"By winning one skirmish after another over the inclination to self-indulgence, we get better and better at rebuffing temptation while thinking more and more about God throughout the day."

Boy, this sounds familiar. Dr. Shrink-wrap talks about this concept almost every week with me, except not in a religious sense, but in a behavioral sense. Each little victory over self, no matter how small, builds strength for the next skirmish, and the next one, and the next. Soon, you look back and find that you have gotten stronger inside. Never feel that a small win is too small to matter.

The mile and 3/4 I ran yesterday is an example. So I shaved 23 seconds off the last time I ran that distance? So what? Well, that's the wrong take on it. 23 seconds is nothing much, but.. it's in the right direction. You didn't used to be able to run that distance at all! And that extra 37th push-up you strain for today gets you closer to regularly doing 40 in a few weeks. And that's waaay better than where you started. You're stronger, healthier. :)

So, back to behavioral issues. There, even a mental win "in the moment" counts. Or an emotional one. A decision to think or feel differently. A willingness to wait for the right time. A victory over self-indulgence, over instant gratification. Eventually, mental and emotional wins turn into action. And actions.. change things, change who you are.

Yeah. Lent is serving to remind me of that. A little self-denial here and there.. it's good. You're not permanently giving up all that's pleasurable - you're just not letting it drive you. You're deciding when it's the right time. And you're doing it.. for a good purpose. :) That's what Lent helps us do.