The season of Lent begins today; a season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Today's reading from the book of Joel exhorts us to "Rend your hearts, not your garments" (2:13). But what does that mean?
When we fast, it is the spiritual effects that are most important. For example, the purpose of fasting from food is not just to deprive yourself, but remind yourself that there are things more important than your physical needs. In more modern times, it has become popular to fast from things like social media, television, and so on. Again, this shouldn't be just about depriving yourself, but about reorienting your life to focus on God.
And when our hearts are rent open by fasting, there is room for prayer and works of charity to come in. Fasting should result in lasting changes to your spiritual life. Consider carefully this Lent what you would like to fast from, and what you would like the effects of that fasting to be.