Lent is a season to redirect our lives toward God who is full of graciousness, mercy, and kindness.  All our good acts undertaken during Lent bear fruit by building up right relationships.

As our heavenly Father “repays” us, so are we called to “repay” others.  Righteous deeds in themselves do not make us righteous.  Reaching out with the same care and compassion as God reaches out to us is what makes us righteous – in right relationship before God and others.  Whatever Lenten penance we undertake is always directed to renewal of life and growth in our relationships with others.  Lenten penance requires that we reach outside of ourselves toward others who, like us, are in need.  Righteous deeds for the sake of the other are an icon of our relationship to God and all that God had done for us.

True penance always requires dying to self.  Even a day can be long when doing serious penance, especially if we are not doing penance for the right reasons.  So, whether one day of penance or forty isn’t the issue.   The issue is losing oneself in the God who loves us, takes pity on us, and offers us salvation – which is for eternity.  Through the penitential practices of Lent, God calls us to a renewal of life.