Lent is just around the corner and it’s time to think about using the penitential season to grow closer to Christ. Lent is not only a good time to think about our own practices but also can be a time to help others. 

 

I have a couple ideas for you.

 

If, like me, you bemoan the fact that there are fewer people in the pews, then do something. Don’t wait for some big program or event. Be an influencer.

 

Do this: attend, ask and invite. 

 

Our society seems to be intrenched in the “you do you” mindset to the point that we become too focused on ourselves. We need to care about others and we need others to care about us. There are thousands upon thousands of people flooding social media as “influencers” from everything from makeup and fashion to what to buy and try on Amazon. So if some random person can influence you to buy a smiley face sponge or fill your fridge with color coded containers, then why can’t we influence people to come to church and show them we care about their souls?

 

Attend. To be a church influencer first, attend. Make sure you are attending Mass yourself. Don’t hide the fact that you make time for Mass each week or even during the week. Share your joy in making time for Christ. Don’t be afraid to say you are going to Mass. 

 

Ask. Don’t be afraid to gently ask others why they aren’t going to church. Asking doesn’t mean you are judging folks or serving up guilt. Just ask. Maybe you will find there is a simple reason and that you can be of help. 

 

Invite. There is strength and comfort in being part of a group after an absence. Invite your family and/or friends to join you at Mass then go to breakfast, lunch or a coffee after Mass. The solitary life of the pandemic taught us that we really are social creatures and we really do need in-person interaction with others. Making Mass a group event is a great way to enjoy your time with Christ and share that joy with others. We all want to get to heaven. And it will be much better if we are there with the ones we love and the folks we love seeing in the next pew. 

 

Send a gift of faith. 

 

Buy a gift subscription to The Observer for family members or friends. For decades my mother-in-law would send a check for 8 subscriptions — one for herself and one subscription for each of her children, whether they were going to Mass or not. 

 

Before The Observer I worked in the secular press and never really thought about religious papers or magazines. I was a convert and didn’t realize that Catholic newspapers were a thing. I realized quickly that I was able to learn and keep close to my newfound faith by reading the news and columns. My mother-in-law figured that if some of her family members weren’t going to Mass at least she could help put a little Catholic material in their homes. When I wrote my check for The Observer subscription this year, I decided to follow my MIL’s example and bought an extra one.

 

It’s a gentle, low-cost way to share the faith. And what a great idea. Send a subscription to The Observer to family and friends. It’s a way to put some Catholic influence directly in someone’s home. And if the person doesn’t want a paper copy, they can read it online or on their phone. It just may be the nudge someone needs to get them back in the habit of faith. 

 

So, this Lenten season, think about sharing your light and your salt with others as part of your spiritual practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. And pray that our efforts will go way beyond our own benefit.