Students weigh in on what Lent means to them

Rachel Freeland, senior

“Lent is a chance for me to challenge myself to try and give up something I do every day.  I do Lent because it is a part of my religion.  I gave up junk food because I want to try and eat better and be healthier.  It changed me as a person because now I have more self control and I don’t really crave it as much anymore.  Lent isn’t so bad right now because I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t want it now. I wanted to give up something that isn’t good for me so I could be healthier.”

 

 

 

Mark Boegner, senior

“Lent is a Catholic tradition based off Jesus’s fasting in the desert for 40 days. Lent is not all about giving up something. It’s has 3 pillars to it. Fasting (the giving up part), Almsgiving and Prayer. We fast from pleasurable things because we have this “disordered attachment” to earthly things when our main goal should be heaven. We don’t just fast from food but any kind of worldly attachment that brings us pleasure. It’s a way to free space up in our soul I guess you could say. It also is a way of strengthening our own wills, so we don’t always have to be a slave to our bodily desires. Fasting works on ourselves. Then Almsgiving helps us to recognize others around us. In a culture where everyone is so focused on themselves, giving up things that you enjoy and giving that to those who need it more is a way to realize that we are way better off than we realize. Almsgiving isn’t just giving money to the poor. It’s also giving your clothes to those who need it more, or food to those who are more hungry or your time and effort into those who are uncared for and lonely. So Almsgiving moves our focus from ourselves to those who need our attention more. Then prayer moves our attention on to the One Who should be the center of our lives and that is our God. By taking time away from our busy day to just be in the presence of the One Who made us is something that most people lose track of because they don’t realize the importance of it. Sometimes since people don’t “see” God they forget about Him and put Him lower in our priority list. When in reality He should be our highest priority.

 

For me, I chose to give up sweets, chips, and social media. Often times I would find myself only eating junk foods, so I decided to give those up. This way, whenever I see those foods, it reminds me of Jesus’s sacrifice. Also, I would find myself in a cycle of going into Snapchat or Instagram looking at things, close the app, then go back in moments later.  I decided to delete the app to spend time more wisely and get rid of bad habits. I also do readings to learn more about my faith and saints. There are also the extremes, for example some people actually fast for the full 40 days. The goal is to have a personal relationship with God which is why we imitate Him the best we can. That is why God put Himself into human form to give us the perfect model of what it means to “be perfect like the heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).”

 

Andrew Patton, junior

“Lent means that we can experience something hard in our lives. Even though it’s not as serious it still shows that we can give up things that aren’t necessary.  I do Lent because I believe it’s good to take part in things that bring you closer to God and humble you.  I gave up chocolate because I like chocolate and it is hard to keep myself away from it.  This has changed me because it’s given me a different perspective that I didn’t have before.  It’s going well, although it’s hard some days but that’s what it’s all about.  Starting track I wanted to eat healthier and this was a good start.”

 

 

 

 

Jessica Fannin, sophomore

“Lent is a way to get rid of useless or distracting things in my life.  I do Lent because it is a good way to practice self-control and get rid of habits I don’t need.   I gave up YouTube and Instagram because I feel like I spend too much time on them.  It has taught me how much of my free time I waste on them. It has also inspired me to spend more time on valuable things like reading my bible or actually spending time with people.  I have accidentally gone on YouTube through safari searches but other than that I’ve been pretty consistent.  I was inspired to give up YouTube and Instagram because I felt like they distracted me from enjoying life and doing things that are healthier for me.”