Great Lent - Great Challenge

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
                                                                Proverbs 27:2

The Great Lent is over, and we are almost finished with our journey of challenges, our journey towards a new life, and a new “us”, as we step into Holy Week. How important, challenging, valuable and life changing our experience was, how many "rules of Lent" we broke, or even how well we did, we must keep to ourselves.  We must remain silent about our challenges during this season, and even accept with gratitude that "not Lenten food" which is being offered, because that food was made especially for us (not to challenge us but honor us). And believe me, that is not the only challenge you are going to face during Lent.

During Lent, it is not our responsibility to judge others by pointing out that we are fasting (hoping to encourage others to fast we may tempt someone, and that is not what we want to do). We fast for ourselves, to build our spiritual strength, purify our minds and hearts, and silence ourselves, so we will be able to listen and grow closer to our Lord and Savior. Our responsibility is to enrich someone by sharing God's word in actions...actions of kindness, support, empathy, compassion and love. 

This is what our responsibility is. This is how we shall follow our Lord, and this is how we shall show others the path to the Kingdom of Heaven, not only during Lent and the Paschal season, but throughout our entire lives. 

The Great Lent may be over but the Great Challenge is yet to come...