“God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good” (Gn. 1:31). 

 

God created us good and gave us a world full of good. However, that does not mean that all goods are equal. There is a hierarchy of goods. 

 

A great example of this can be found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus has been fasting for 40 days, and the devil tempts Jesus by saying, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread” (Lk 4:3). 

 

Without a doubt, bread is a good, but obedience to God is a greater good. Sin 

happens when we choose a lesser good over a greater good. 

 

Temptation does not arise out of our desire to be evil; instead, it comes when we desire a good or a perceived good at the expense of a greater good. The devil’s success lies in his ability to manipulate the way we prioritize goods. 

 

Therefore, our moral life is not made up of epic choices between good and evil. It is played out in the small choices between competing goods. Do I stay home and watch the game or go to Mass? Our lives are filled with these goods — food, entertainment, wealth, prestige, friends, family, and God. 

 

All of these are good, provided we do not place the lesser goods before the greater ones, such as sports before obedience to the Sabbath. When we surrender a greater good, like family, fidelity to marriage and obedience to God, for a lesser good, like wealth, power and notoriety, it becomes sinful. 

 

Above all, God is our greatest good. Eternal life with God is the supreme good which we were created for (Catechism of the Catholic Church 357). To persevere in attaining that good, we must rely on God’s grace, particularly the sacraments. 

 

Additionally, we must strive to better form our consciences so that we can discern the greatest good in a given situation. 

 

As we enter Lent, we are provided with a much-needed opportunity to reorder our perception and attachment to goods. During Lent, the faithful are called to participate in the pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (CCC 1434). Each of these help us to order or reorder our lives according to the hierarchy of goods. 

 

Prayer renews our relationship with God and helps us to place Him at the center of our life. All other competing goods shrink in the wake of genuine prayer which brings us into conformity with God’s will.

 

Fasting strikes at the heart of lesser goods that may have an unhealthy hold on our life — food, alcohol, entertainment, and more. 

 

I often hear people say that instead of giving something up for Lent, they are going to take something on, such as charity work or a daily act of kindness. This is laudable and can be a wonderful practice. But I encourage you to not deny yourself the opportunity to deny yourself something. 

 

Through fasting, we practice saying no to a lesser good. It may be saying no to a small thing like chocolate, but this is how we grow in the virtues of fortitude and perseverance so that we will be able to endure greater temptations. Fasting is like strength training for the moral life. 

 

Most importantly, when we offer our fasts up in union with Christ’s passion, they become meritorious and an avenue of grace in our life.

 

Through almsgiving, we place love of God and our fellow man above the good of wealth. Money has a unique ability to become disproportionately important in our lives, so much so that St. Paul warns, “the love of money is the root of all evils…” (1 Tm 6:10). When we freely share with those in need of the wealth God has entrusted to us, it fulfills its higher purpose. 

 

God lovingly gave us a world full of beauty, joy, delights, family, and bacon —all of which He found “very good.” These wonders point us to our greatest good, God. Unfortunately, like kids at Christmas, the gloriousness of a gift can distract us from the giver. 

 

I encourage you as you embark on your Lenten journey this year to seek the Creator above creation.