Preparing for Lent: The Time of Septuagesima
Summary of Headings
- The Importance of Septuagesima
- The Battle Against Ourselves
- Practical Resolutions for Lent
- The Role of Fortitude
The Importance of Septuagesima
It's such an interesting time of the liturgical year that we have for Septuagesima. The time of Septuagesima is given to us by the Church specifically because we don't transition well. We're creatures of the Spirit. We're creatures who like to take things rather slowly at times. We prefer to take things in our own time. The Church is very sympathetic with this. And the fact that we would go from the celebratory time of Christmas, and then Epiphany, and then after Epiphany, and then make a full transition into the penitential time of Lent would probably be a little too much to expect from us. So the Church, to give us an extra opportunity to enter into the season of Lent well, gives us this kind of antechamber to Lent. This area of preparation to be able to enter more fully and more completely into the spirit of Lent. Now one of the most important practices that we can perform for Lent, of course, are the sacrifices that we offer up during the time of Lent. But the sacrifices always are supposed to have a meaning behind them. It's not just supposed to be some random thing that we come up with at the dawn of Ash Wednesday. So that we can fulfill that obligation of having something to offer up. It is something that we are supposed to actually think through. And this is where St. Paul's Epistle comes into play. Because he talks about having a plan. When approaching, in his analogy of the sports that he mentioned, he said we are supposed to have a goal that we move towards. We don't run the race blindly. We don't fight just beating the air. We actually have something, an opponent, that we are pursuing. Someone that we are chasing down. Someone that we are fighting. And that is the mentality with which we must enter into Lent. So the first question we must ask ourselves in the time of Septuagesima is who are we fighting? What is it that we are fighting? Well the general answer we all know, the three great enemies. The world, the flesh, and the devil. Those are the three great enemies of each and every one of us. Of all of our souls. But the enemy most specifically that we are fighting, that we must be fighting in Lent, is the first enemy that we all must fight. And that is ourselves. Because, he uses the example of a boxer, any boxer knows, before getting into the ring, that the very first enemy that he has to fight is against himself. His own exhaustion. His own weakness. His own pain. Against the temptation to just curl up on the canvas and not let the other guy touch him anymore. Whatever else. That is what he fights against first and foremost, above everything else. To stay standing when he is so tired. That is the goal. So, that is the enemy we fight during Lent. That is the battle we wage. It is against ourselves. Our own imperfections. Our own weaknesses. Our own evil inclinations. Our own imperfections. Because that is a fact. We are imperfect creatures. We are not what God wants us to be. This is the misfortune of our condition. Therefore, that means that we have to strive all the harder to actually start conforming ourselves more completely to what it is God wants us to be. We have to fight that enemy, which is ourselves. And how do we do that? Well, the first thing, of course, is to have a plan. So, in order to have a plan, any sort of plan, we have to know what it is we are searching for. We want to perfect ourselves. We want to improve ourselves. We need to know ourselves. What is our predominant fault? What is the most grievous fault that we habitually fall into? What is the sin that plagues us the most? Or holds us back the most? What is it that causes us most difficulty in overcoming? Those are the kinds of questions that we now need to ask ourselves, but we now need to actually take time to really understand. What is it that we investigate? Is it pride? Is it laziness? Selfishness? Is it gossip? Any sin? Each and every one of us, we have our own imperfections. We have our own inclinations. And those are the things that we need to seek out. And those are the things we need to start to address. If we have difficulties, for example, with laziness, what form does it take? How does it come about? How does it show itself to us? What is it that we do that actually shows that laziness, that encourages that laziness? What does the laziness lead us to do? Is it that we just have difficulty getting up in the morning? Well, then the next solution comes up, which is, how do we fix that? So let's take something as minuscule as not wanting to get out of bed, just hitting the snooze button on the alarm, as it were. Something that small. Instead of getting out of bed, as the Dominican rule says, as if our bed was on fire. Well, how do we get out of bed? If we are just hitting the snooze alarm over and over again and then racing around trying to catch up with the day, we're not going to be paying attention to our morning prayers. We're not going to be eating a normal, healthy breakfast. We're going to be doing everything wrong right from the get -go. So there's a whole series of consequences to that. And it's a consequence that comes about from one bad decision. One bad decision born of laziness. So now, how do we fix that? Well, in that circumstance, a very simple change. Moving the alarm clock to the other side of the room. So you actually have to get out of bed to turn it off, and we're far less inclined to just hit the snooze button and go back to bed when you're already out of bed. It's a small thing, but it's a simple and practical one. Now, of course, that's a little bit of a challenge. That's not what everybody's Lenten resolution should be. But it's an example, nothing else. This time of Septuagesima is given to us to really understand a little bit more who we are and what it is that we need to do to improve. But the other element in that is that we have to understand what it is we are supposed to be trying to achieve. We are not just offering sacrifices or looking for improvements in our lives just because, which is one of the reasons why going on diets and fasting for the purpose of losing weight is not enough. That is not a reason, that is not a good penance for Lent. It's because we are supposed to be conforming into something that we're not there yet, and we don't achieve yet. We are supposed to achieve absolute and perfect love of God. To love Him above all things. Now, let's consider what that means for just a minute. It means that if all things being equal, if we had to sacrifice everything and choose God, we would be willing to do it. If we were to let go of everything, but choose God, that is what our ultimate goal is. To live wholly and entirely and singularly for Him. That all other creatures, everything else, every affection, every family member, our own lives, are simple instruments in the service of Him. Nothing else. That is the goal of who we are supposed to become. And that is what our penances must serve. So that is the goal. Ultimately, that is what we are shooting for. And our penances need to reflect that. But therefore, our penances need to be practical. Something that will actually help us to accomplish that. Which means they need to be clear. If we just say, well, I have a problem with charity. I'm uncharitable. So therefore, I'm going to be more charitable. That's not a resolution. Because all that is is a very vague idea of what we should be. But how... Sorry. These sleeves. Every time. How are we uncharitable? I gossip. Okay. How are we going to stop gossiping? One thing is, when I'm with certain people with whom I tend to gossip, I will keep my mouth shut. Or I will not let them gossip. I will not start a conversation that gossips. I will find one particular way in which I can cut that particular vice off. Before it starts. But with one resolution and one circumstance. That can help us in that aspect. So we make it practical. We make it simple. But we always make it directed toward that final goal. Which is the fact that we live to serve God. We live for Him. Lastly, the element we need oftentimes most, is the matter of fortitude. Because we don't like to change. It's uncomfortable. We don't like penance. It's painful. We don't like to sacrifice. Something that is not very natural to us. But it's something that's absolutely necessary. And so therefore, fortitude is necessary to overcome our own selfish inclinations. Self -serving. Looking out for ourselves. And what we feel in our comfort and our complacency and whatever else. Just trying to keep the status quo. But no, we need to change. We need to make something different. And so therefore, we are going to change how we relate to ourselves. When there is that inner struggle, we are going to actually start to push harder against ourselves to overcome. That is the final purpose. That is what fortitude is. Regardless of how we feel. Regardless of whether we want to or not. If we know it's the right thing, we are going to overcome ourselves and perform it. That fortitude is something we are going to have to draw on constantly through Lent. And so we need to start preparing ourselves for now by preparing the so -called warrior spirit. It doesn't come out of nowhere. It comes about precisely because we make the effort starting with training. We prepare ourselves for battle. We know we are going into battle and so therefore we get ourselves into the mindset of a battle. We know we have to fight against ourselves. We identify the enemy. We schedule out a tactic and a plan of how we are going to overcome the enemy. But now we have to engage ourselves getting ready to really do battle. Regardless of how uncomfortable it is. Willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to overcome in these tiny, because they are supposed to be small, victories each and every day. Understanding that it is not for us that we do it. Ultimately of course, yes, we will benefit by it. But it is for God. But like good soldiers, they don't fight in battles for their own personal selves. They fight in battles for themselves. They fight in their battles for their country. For a cause. We must have that same desire to do battle. Knowing not that it is supposed to be fun and agreeable, but it is necessary. And that we need to win these battles. So we start asking the Holy Ghost for the gift of fortitude. To fill us and to overfill us. So that we are able to overcome ourselves consistently through the time of Lent. Because by doing so, we will be able to truly serve God. And be able to be His faithful servants eternally in heaven. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Summary
Septuagesima is a preparatory period given by the Church to help us transition into the penitential season of Lent. This time is crucial for self-reflection and planning how we can best engage in spiritual warfare against our own weaknesses. The homily emphasizes the importance of having a plan for Lent, inspired by St. Paul's analogy of athletes who train with a clear goal in mind. We are encouraged to identify our predominant faults and devise practical resolutions to overcome them, aligning our sacrifices with the ultimate goal of loving God above all else. Finally, we are reminded of the necessity of fortitude in our spiritual journey. Change is often uncomfortable and requires sacrifice, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can develop the strength to persevere and truly serve God as His faithful servants.