Prune, Plant & Persevere: A Lenten Reflection

During the season of Lent, we travel from the joys of Christmastide at the stable in Bethlehem & journey into the desert with Christ. This season helps us recognize how we have fallen short of wholeheartedness before God; how our hearts are filled up by distractions, noise, idols & false loves. It is an opportunity to prune, plant & persevere throughout our Lenten journey.

We fast so that we can hear God’s voice above the clamor of our disordered desires. This helps us prune away the weeds of sin & vice that hinder the light of Christ from penetrating into the shadow & darkness. Once our hearts are pruned, we have room to plant new seeds of virtue that spring up from deeper prayer & true sorrow for our sins. The Sacrament of Confession can become for us a wellspring in the desert that refreshes our burdened & weary souls.

But we only harvest the fruits of our pruning & planting if we persevere. Almsgiving & practicing acts of charity, even small ones, help us to reach deeper into the challenge of the desert to return more of our heart back to God & to willingly give more to those who are around us.

St. John Paul II encourages us on our journey through the desert: “prepare to relive the Paschal Mystery, which sheds the light of hope upon the whole of our existence, even its most complex and painful aspects… let us set out with trust on our Lenten journey, sustained by fervent prayer, penance and concern for those in need.” Lent is an invitation to partake more fully in the glory of the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. Through fasting, prayer & almsgiving, we have the means to journey deep into the desert to hear what God’s voice is saying to our hearts. 

Don’t be afraid to prune, plant & persevere.