Inevitably, at some point in Lent every Catholic goes, “Have I eaten breakfast today?” This confusion is well-deserved, maybe especially for the very busy or very forgetful. Without being able to gauge more accurately by means of how hungry one currently is, because hunger is the inevitable companion to those who fast every day during Lent, we are dependent totally on memory. It happened to me today as I was food shopping. I had in fact eaten, an unmemorable but healthy breakfast of egg bake (zucchini and green onions), and I was worried that if I hadn’t, my medicine may cause my blood sugars to go down while not at home, but if I had, I didn’t want to break my fast or have my lunch 3 hours early. As I summarized to my family, #CatholicProblems (I’m not above the occasional well-placed hashtag in a group text).
Yesterday’s practice from 40 Steps to Easter was to not complain about any hardships we had to face. Today’s was to say something to be admired in the 2 people we most dislike. Obviously, the Church recognizes that the second week of Lent is perhaps the hardest. The first week is always easy, as any beginning is. the third week, penance comes almost second nature, which is why I add on some more at Passiontide (weeks 5 and 6). Week 2 is almost always when I fall, and as experience has proven to me, it’s very likely that a number of others fall just like me. Let us walk up this mountain with our arms about each other, taking turns to be strong when the other is weak, and encouraging each other to go always higher.
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