My Lenten sacrifice has been refined over the years

By Charla Spulluto Misse
NOLA Catholic Parenting

I am still refining my Lenten sacrifice. As I reflect on the areas I need to strengthen most so that I can move closer to Christ, I realize that the abstinence I have chosen, while worthwhile and sincere, is inadequate training for the spiritual battles I face today.

Self-denial and fasting have proven to be critical to my spiritual strengthening. I will continue this practice, but, this Lent, I find that real battles are happening in my mind, especially when I try to pray.

The Holy Spirit has helped me to see, at this point on my journey, that I need to strengthen my intellectual control through the study of spiritual writings backed by the power of prayer and the intercession of our heavenly aids.

Selecting spiritual reading is very personal and can be divinely inspired. I have had certain instances in my life where a specific Catholic book came into my hands and changed my life.

I am currently inclined to read “The Golden Arrow: The Revelations of Sr. Mary of St. Peter” concerning devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus, inspired by Jesus himself. My husband has aspired to read the daily readings for the Mass.

If you are looking for ideas, Catholic self-retreats or autobiographies of saints are some other ideas you might like to consider.

In addition to reading, I am setting a schedule of daily prayers to be said at specific times. For example, I set alarms to remind myself to pray the Morning Offering upon waking, the Angelus at noon and the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m. Consciously choosing to stop and focus my energy on prayer is disciplining my mind.

And finally, most important is calling for the heavenly intercession of the saints and angels, as well as Jesus and Mary. I cannot conquer this on my own, and having their support to redirect my mind and structure my days so that my footsteps follow his path for me cannot be undervalued. They have saved me.

I am so grateful for this time of penance, this time to nourish the soil of my soul so that I can grow in his grace.   

“May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in Heaven, on earth and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen. – The “Golden Arrow” Prayer dictated by Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter

A native of New Orleans, Charla Misse feels blessed to worship, work and play in her hometown. She supports various charitable organizations, sits on the finance committee for St. Dominic Church and is a Boy Scouts of America den leader and religious emblems coordinator. Things that make her happy are laughing with her family, baking for her loved ones, exercising outdoors, visiting the adoration chapel and picking her son up from school.