It has started. It began with crosses drawn on the foreheads of the masses, and continues with a large variety of meatless options in the Café on Fridays. Lent is here.
This year for Lent, students are focusing on choices. Father John Haugen, affectionately known as Padre, explained the tone of Lent this year. “Our theme this year is about CHOICES – trying to be more INTENTIONAL about our living. That causes us to look inside and not just go through the motions. Christ calls to us from within and we need to choose to quiet ourselves and stop running from that ‘inner space.’” Father Haugen explained that students and faculty alike are encouraged to better themselves in a meaningful way. “For some it is eating less, or exercising more. For others is it more volunteer work and less spending on self. For me this year it is a combination of more intentional prayer time (apart from preparing for college Masses), more quiet time for reading or listening to music, and more regular rest. This helps me to be more patient, and more available to the many students, faculty and staff that I interact with.”
“I hear students very serious about Lent — working on prayer, curbing rotten language, or trying to be more present to people who are in need, or that they find difficult. I hear of others who are choosing sleeping on the floor, as a practice of self-denial of comfort – a little suffering, to keep their spiritual minds sharp.” Not everyone has the same goal for themselves this year, and “Padre” has seen many different types of observances of Lent. Father Haugen explained, “Others are raising money for charitable causes – Haiti, Chile, Dance Marathon, etc. For another, it is an earnest promise to take better care of self through choosing to make better boundaries and more life-giving choices.”
Students often had deep meaning behind what they gave up. Daniel Dobson, a junior at Loras, said “I decided to not listen to any music that I have control of hearing. So band, or the music in the café is exempt.” He explained that he wanted to focus on gaining control of his desires, and build resistance to the temptations of society. “I can focus on the silence and inner reflection in order to better myself and better hear what God is trying to tell me.”
Lent can mean a variety of things to students. For some, it’s grudgingly not eating meat on Friday. For others, it’s a time to learn to control themselves. For Dobson, Lent “is a time to focus on all of the business of life, and center in on what is most important, God. It is also a time to make changes in your life to make you a better person and become happier with yourself.”
“I gave up eating between meals because I’m trying to focus on what I really need in life. I don’t need little snacks here and there, or to be spending so much time on Facebook,” said Emily Full, junior. “I’m trying to cut out a few things so I’m less stressed and I have more time to focus on living life.”
A huge trend this year seems to be giving up a vice that many college students have: Facebook. Throughout the Café and classrooms, students discuss how giving up facebook was a huge transition, but was worth it. They have commented on the increase in free time and the lack of distraction that Facebook had previously caused. “All of the time I spend on Facebook regularly is now going towards other ways I could be spending my time, such as taking time to talk to God in prayer, call home to say ‘hi’ to Mom and Dad, or even do a little homework,” said Full.
Lent offers a time for reflection, self-improvement, and a time to strengthen your relationship with God and those around you. Father Haugen concluded with, “It can be a tremendous time of renewal if you have the courage for it, and are willing to adopt an age and lifestyle-appropriate challenge. I hope that the college crowd is beyond giving up candy!”
