Sacrifice

We are in the beginning of Lent, and the word I hear most during this time from our students is “sacrifice.” The Latin root of this word is sacer, which oddly enough can mean “holy” or “accursed,” almost near antonyms. Although this may seem confusing, it makes sense when you view it through the lens of the Gospel reading from Ash Wednesday. In that Gospel, Jesus preaches that when we fast (sacrifice) we should not “look gloomy” to make a point to others that we are making a sacrifice.  Instead He says we should bear our burden without making a big show of it.

Depending on how we bear our Lenten sacrifice, we can make it something that is “accursed,” or we can make it something that helps us become more “holy.” The difference is all in how we make our sacrifice: do we bemoan those around us snacking on a doughnut when we have given up sweets? Do we scowl at those sipping their morning coffee? Do we boast that not eating snacks will make us heathier when someone pops open a bag of chips? These reactions make our sacrifice a curse. Instead, let our sacrifice remind us why we’re doing it in the first place--not to suffer and be miserable but to bring us closer to God. During Lent, when we feel the temptation to complain, we should try to say a small prayer of gratitude and thank God for a blessing in our lives. By replacing a complaint with a compliment, God will bring Peace and holiness to our sacrifice.

Check my Instagram and twitter posts @cks_principal this Lent to see our CKS family making their sacrifices the right way and living the #LentLife.

Here is a picture of some CKS moms who sacrificed their time and resources to make a warm breakfast for students at Sacred Heart Inter-parochial School in Pinellas Park: