In many ways, this pandemic has forced us to ‘give up many things’.

To keep ourselves, our families, and communities safe, we all have to follow community restrictions and observe safety protocols. We cannot just leave our homes, go to school, and bond with our friends. We still cannot gather to pray and celebrate the mass together. Thus this Lent, we are asked too to enter into these sacred days in a whole new way. For Ash Wednesday for example, provisions are made to allow homes to prepare their own ashes at home. These and many more are in a way ‘sacrifices’ that we have learned to live with during this time of the pandemic.

Maybe this is something that we can also offer as a prayer to Jesus this Lent, by sharing to Him our feelings, memories, and thoughts about the world and the situation we are all in - both the good and bad, in prayer.

An Invitation to Magis

This Lent, aside from doing penance and offering sacrifices, another path to take is to embrace and live out the Ignatian value of Magis (a Latin adverb that meant “more” or “to a greater degree). To do this, instead of asking what to give up this Lent, ask and pray about instead what ‘more’ can you do and offer for God. For example, ask yourself: How can I be ‘more’ loving, patient, and forgiving - of others, myself, and God? How can I be more generous in sharing my time and resources with others? Do I need to pray more? Listen more? Care more?

How about you? What Magis or "more" can you make as a Lenten offering to God this year?

Share your thoughts in our padlet below: