Meredith Van Zuiden | Assistant Opinion Editor
The Lenten Season has just begun and now many Christians are faced with deciding what they must give up in order to live a simple life throughout this 40-day period. Growing up as a Catholic I’ve heard my fair share of obvious things that many people choose to give up. May it be your favorite candy, pop, Facebook, or television, I think I’ve heard them all. Is this really what Lent is all about? I don’t think giving up Mt. Dew for 40 days and then chugging a two liter bottle after your time is up (yes, a friend of mine actually did this) is what Lent is all about. Also becoming a temporary vegetarian… only on Fridays of course, this isn’t very much of a sacrifice, but a small inconvenience.
Personally, I don’t think Lent was intended to be about what we need to give up, but what we as individuals can give back. I’m not saying that giving up your favorite Netflix series isn’t a sacrifice, but I don’t think it’s the big picture. Lent is a time for reflection and allows us to prepare for the coming of Easter. I don’t want this post to consist of myself “preaching” but I feel like Lent has lost it’s meaning as we’ve progressed in society.
In a way social media has affected how we partake in religious practices and what we consider normal. When our parents were growing up, you wouldn’t hear the Internet or television being given up during Lent. This is mostly due to the fact that these technologies weren’t as prominent during the time. Without theses distractions many people at the time focused their energy on living simply and giving back to people who have less. I think this is a great example of how we should place less time and effort in social media year round.
To me, Lent is about being the best person that I can possibly be and going out of my way to make others feel important. Sacrificing things along the way may not be entirely necessary but can always be a good thing to do as well. Volunteering your time can be one of the biggest sacrifices a person can make especially at this time in our lives as college students. We’re all busy and have a schedule of responsibilities to fulfill, but take this Lenten season as a time to relax and enjoy spending it with people you care about.
