Hey there, Heroic Catholics!

Mardi Gras has passed, and we have entered into the season known as Lent. 40 Days of penance, sacrifice, preparation, and waiting for Easter. Lent is a time when we grow closer to Christ, deepen our personal relationships with Him, by taking up or giving up things. Like some people during Lent will give up watching TV and use the time they’d be watching TV to pray or read the Bible. Others might add in something like 15 minutes of prayer. Some choose to fast every day. Each person’s Lenten sacrifice will be different than the next – and there is no comparing or judging them.

I say that because what is a sacrifice to one person might not be a sacrifice to the next. Case in point: myself. I’m someone who you don’t find giving up sweets anymore, cutting out sugar, or anything related to giving up food. I used to do that. Then I asked myself “why?” Why was I choosing to give up sweets, or all sugar, or snacks, or things like that? And the answer ended up being that I actually was using Lent as a time to be vain and try to see if I could lose weight by cutting things out of my diet. I wasn’t using it as a way to grow closer to Christ – I was trying to do it for myself and only me. I knew that that was not the reason for Lenten sacrifices. They are not to make us look better, they are to make us grow closer to Christ. If my reasoning for giving up certain types of food was to improve my body  then I’m going about this the wrong way.

So instead, for Lent this year, I’m doing something like eating a poptart for breakfast a few times a week. Or when we got doughnuts last Friday to celebrate my little sister’s birthday – I told myself I had to eat 2 whole ones. All the sugar, fat, unhealthy stuff I try to avoid. It was a struggle. A big one. And that’s why I chose to do it.

Sacrifices are personal things. You can’t compare what you’re doing to what you friend is doing. Because as you see from the previous paragraphs – what’s a Sacrifice for one person may not be a Sacrifice for the next. Iknow people who are giving up sweets or snacks for Lent and they’re doing it for the right reason – that is awesome! I know people who might be choosing to sleep on the floor every night instead of their soft bed – way to go! This Lent I challenge you to really look at your life and try to find a way that you can truly grow closer to Christ, deepen your personal relationship with Him, remember the suffering and struggles He went through for us! You can do it. You have a community of people who will help you out.

Be joyful about it. Remember what Christ said?

“Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18)

If you’re still trying to figure out what to do for Lent this year, maybe don’t give up something. Take up something instead. Like reading the Bible for X amount of time each day. Pray the Rosary. Learn something new about your Faith. You can do it. You’re awesome – God made you that way.

Now I want to tell you about why I’ve been absent from here lately.

I got involved in this thing called CYT. Christian Youth Theater. It’s cool, look it up. And since November we have been preparing and rehearsing for a big musical production, Aladdin Jr. Last weekend we put on 4 performances of it. It was crazy. Hectic. Insane. Tiring. And so much fun.

CYT is something that I never thought I”d enjoy. Never thought I’d like it. Never thought I could do it. Because I’m the quiet girl sitting off by herself. The one who doesn’t talk much. Yet put me on a stage, give me a character to be, and apparently I’m pretty good. 😉 God knows what we can do. He gave us talents and skills to use for His glory. Through CYT I’m able to share my Faith with many. I’m able to reach out to those who are struggling or needing an encouraging smile. And it’s fun.

I may not quite “fit in” with the people there, and I’m okay with that. They’re all super nice, welcoming, and I love that. My little sister has found some of her best friends through this and seeing that makes me smile.

And after our first show I had my first random fan of Heroic Catholic come running up to me, super excited to meet me. Here’s what happened:

Someone ran up to me after the show and started going on about how amazing the book is and how they love the dedication. Apparently mom sold her a book right before the show began.
Because I had no idea who they were or how they knew about me or got my book, but just a random fan finding me and talking to me. It was great. God is so good. He knows what I need and puts me in places to do as I should. I love it.

Meeting people who love Heroic Catholic makes my heart melt. Because it means that they have a desire to want to know and enrich their Faith even more. It almost makes me cry to think about.

Now I must sign off this post with a last paragraph about Chocolate.

I auditioned last November for a role in a Dinner Theater production called “Kidnapped: A Chocolate Whodunit.” I got one of the lead roles in it. It’s incredible! I’m up there performing with people who have been doing this for years, and I can do it almost as well as them. I love it. Today we have a dress rehearsal. Thursday is the performance. It’ll be great.

And that’s all for now, folks!

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