Today I received an email from catholicmatch.com asking it's members for reflections on being single and Lent. I couldn't help but take this opportunity to share my writing with others. Writing this blog has been such a blessing to me, so I decided to share my love of writing on the topic of being single with a new audience. And so tonight I sat down with my laptop and wrote in under 300 words (as was required by the contest) a small reflection on Lent as a single person. Who knows where this will take me next, but at the very least I hope it inspires someone out there who happens upon it. May God bless all of you this Lenten season. My prayer is that as all of you fast from those things that keep you from fully encountering the Lord, that you will have a radical experience of His love and presence.Traditionally during the season of Lent most Catholics fast from something or other. It could be sweets, alcohol, or Facebook. This year though, I am fasting from something else. I have made the decision to fast from self pity, worry, and doubt. You see, for the 31 years of my life, I have wanted nothing other than to be married. I have felt sorry for myself, worried about my future, and doubted the fact that I would ever meet my husband and would inevitably be alone for the rest of my life. In some ways I felt that God had punished me with being single, but after reading the book “The Thrill of the Chaste” by Dawn Eden I realized that I was wrong. God isn’t punishing me with my call to be single for now. He has given me this time in my life to grow in faith, to learn how to first love myself, and most importantly to learn to love and be loved by the One who created me. So by fasting from those things that keep me from seeing God’s vision for my life right now, I am able for the first time in my life to see the wonderful things about being single. I am able to spend time working on friendships, traveling around the world, and learning about myself. And although the prayers and searching for Mr. Right remain, I can do so peacefully and trust that God has a plan for me and my spouse. But while we wait to meet each other, we can live a life of hope and joy knowing that God’s plan will one day all come together. By fasting from these negative things, I am able to focus on the positive and see the gifts of each day.
Dear Erin,
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your beautiful reflection, and am so touched and thankful that my book has helped you to see your time of being single as a gift from the God of love.
You are the second person I've heard from in two days who is planning to use the time of Lent to reflect on one's self-destructive thoughts or tendencies and focus on shedding them. It makes me realize I need to do the same. Let us pray for one another!
Love in Christ,
Dawn
P.S. Since you are interested in growing in chastity, you might like to learn about the Angelic Warfare Confraternity, a group that shares in St. Thomas Aquinas's charism of purity and prays for one another. I just joined it myself, and wrote about it here: http://www.headlinebistro.com/hb/en/columnists/eden/092810.html . It is a good feeling to have this additional means of connection with the prayers of the Mystical Body.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you happened upon my blog. Yes, your book was such an inspiration to me and I am thankful for the path it began. I will pray for you this Lent as we fast from the destructive thoughts and focus on the blessings in our life.
Thanks for the information about the Confraternity. I will look into it.
God bless,
Erin :)