It’s Not Too Late: Enter Holy Week with Intention
The current pace of life often makes it difficult for one to be intentional about spiritual exercises. Our minds are often scattered, with many nebulous goals and ideals, perpetually chasing the urgent concerns of the present. There is much talk of the “mental load” that mothers carry: the appointments, the emotional and physical well-being of the family, and of course that horribly dreadful question—what’s for dinner?
It is difficult not to delegate Lent as just another mental tab, another box on the ever-growing to-do list, another thing to complicate dinnertime planning…
Lent challenges us to slow down and to become intentional about our spiritual exercises, calling us to fast, give alms, and increase in prayer. Yet as we find ourselves at the halfway point of our Lenten journey, have we allowed Lent to become just another redundant, Sisyphean motion? Our Lord in the Scriptures tells us again and again that we will be judged by our fruit, and so we must ask ourselves: are our Lenten practices ordered towards an increase in spiritual fruit? Are we being disciplined in our striving to vanquish vice and increase in virtue in a truly discernible way?
As Catholic women, we oftentimes have good intentions, or an abstract tug of the conscience of what we should do. Yet surrounded by so much external and internal noise, that desire is often competing with other goals that scream for our attention. Let’s move beyond mere good intentions and abstract musings, putting our best foot forward. There are two temptations we often face. One is to believe that we can accomplish the work of growing in holiness on our own, yet a complacent “let go and let God” attitude is equally damaging.
As we approach Holy Week, the holiest time of the entire liturgical year, we are reminded that it is never too late to begin again. If our Lenten practices have felt scattered, inconsistent, or even forgotten, this is not a moment for discouragement but an invitation to renewal. The Church, in her wisdom, places before us these sacred days as a final, powerful opportunity to enter more deeply into the Passion of Christ.
Some useful steps as we run towards the finish line:
- Prayerfully discern the specific area you need to grow in (i.e. generosity? hospitality? regular morning prayer? fighting against mom rage?)
- Make a concrete plan
- Implement your plan, seeking consistency
- Let God fill in the gaps
Many times our Lenten practice gets stuck in the planning phase. We are always planning and consuming media that makes us feel spiritual. We read the next book, listen to the next podcast, the next celebrity priest homily—all good things! Yet without follow-through, all these things clutter our minds. We need to meditate and follow through steadily to allow the Holy Spirit to act, but we drown Him out in our continual search for the next thing.
Let us not write off the remainder of Lent, but rather lean into it with renewed intention.
Even one small, faithful step—more attentive prayer, a hidden sacrifice, or a return to silence—can bear great fruit when offered with love. These days are a gift. Let us receive them well.
Proverbs 21:31 says that “the horse is made ready for the day of battle but victory rests with the Lord.” As we climb the ladder towards Christ, let us be dutiful in reaching for each rung, knowing that He is faithful to provide the way and make up for our inadequacies. We need to push past our feelings and move forward in obedience so that we may one day hear the blessed words, “Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).
written by Cathy Quartarone de Valdez, St. Teresa CMG Co-Leader
