People often associate Lent with sacrifice and suffering. Last year, for me, Lent was about more than just sacrificing something I loved but also it was learning to live without someone I loved. I lost my beloved grandfather about a week and a half before Ash Wednesday. He was always more than just a grandpa, and more of a partner in crime. As I grew up it was always me and him; whether it was watching baseball, gardening, teaching one another our languages (though he already knew English he liked to make me think I was doing something), going on a walk, cooking, or another activity we enjoyed, we always shared priceless memories. Losing my grandfather rocked my faith a little bit. He was the one who taught me to believe, and who showed me what it meant to have faith. But someone wise then reminded me why we sacrifice things we love, to grow in faith. They reminded me that God gave his only son so that we may all prosper with full hearts in the end. I learned what it meant to love and to lose. I learned that the only way to truly love is through suffering, and during Lent we truly suffer.
Category: Lenten Prayer Reflections
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