Lent Keeps Catching Me Unawares

Last updated on: March 23, 2026 at 12:10 am by Sherry Antonetti

0 Comments

Lent Keeps Catching Me Unawares 2026-03-23T00:10:18-04:00 Sherry Antonetti

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Going to mass today, my daughter cantored the mass. My Guardian Angel decided it was time to give me an assessment of myself.

“Hey Sherry. How’s your Lent going?”

(The Guardian Angel brings a mallet so she can knock me up side the head).

“Well, I gave up Coke Zero –which I’d been drinking like a fish.”
And?
“I only broke the fast twice –and once was that Wednesday.”
“I’m not counting that one –and the fasting isn’t for the purpose of simply helping you cut your caffiene consumption.”
“Right.”
“And the rest of it?”

“Honestly, I’ve been overwhelmed and constantly doing doing doing.”
“Yes. That’s correct. Your prayer life has been…”
“Less than stellar. My interior castle is more like a pop-up tent.”

So I sat there trying to pray and still with the music and the mass, my soul wandered. It is why I think Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. We are stupid sheep, and Lent makes one remember, that’s what we are. We get lost. We get confused. We wander. My prayer life had wandered.

Even knowing that, holding that insight, I struggled to carve out time.
We needed to take my son to get a hair cut, shoes, pick up presents for my oldest son’s birthday (this Wednesday), and get our two daughters home for Spring Break back to their respective colleges. I collapsed when we all returned from the errands. Grading still loomed, even though I’d graded a ton on Friday and some on Saturday. The list of and, and, and, left me not yet doing what I’d been reminded I needed to be doing.

It wasn’t until 11:13 pm, that I sat and wrote these words and recognized, I’d allowed the whole day to run away from me from mass on. The gospel words from today, “Jesus was perturbed.” made me both smile and recognize, I was perturbing my Lord. If I persisted in not turning my heart to prayer, “Jesus would be perturbed again.”

So I stopped writing. Realized I needed to get dressed for bed. Laid out the clothes for tomorrow, recognized I’m procrastinating and managed the Apostle’s Creed, Our Father and three Hail Mary’s. Still needed to brush my teeth. The First Glorious Mystery…Our Father, Hail Mary, Hail Mary, Hail Mary…

I need to take my medicine, turn off lights. Our Father…Second Joyful..Luminous..Sorrowful…no…Glorious Mystery. Jesus is not perturbed but Sherry is. Hail Mary…and I remember to mention my children, one for each Hail Mary. It occurs to me, I’d suffered panic attacks since Paul’s running away and my prayer life has been gratitude, but I haven’t simply prayed.

The third mystery…my personal favorite of all mysteries. I’ve always loved Holy Spirit. Just as I’m getting into the groove of praying, life interrupts. My son comes downstairs. He’s been put to bed three times already. The dog leaps after him, barking because he runs back up when I call him out about being up. I must start up again. The Assumption…I am forcing this to happen.

Getting to the final decade, it hasn’t been that long and still, I am slogging through it. Glory Be to…and Hail Holy Queen…and just like that, I have to wonder, how I haven’t had the time. The Guardian Angel gut checks me, “You’ve had the time. You’ve not used it.” and I wonder, could I start the day that way…we’ll see. What I do know, is this sheep is sheerly grateful that Jesus, though perturbed with me on occasion, does not tire of trying to get me back into the thick of things.

Happy Lent. We’re a week from Palm Sunday. Let’s go deeper in.
We're given so many decades and so many mysteries because life is full of decades and infinite mystery.

Family, Parenting and Religion

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 17, 2026

No, Naye, Never...

Next Post

March 25, 2026 The Erosion of Either the Soul, or Sin

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Being a parent is the greatest blessing. As a Father of seven, I know that ..."

Catholic Dad

Blessed Then and Now

"I love your post! A lot of us focus on making it to the mountain ..."

Catholic Dad

Easter Monday, Now What

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Answered Prayers Blessed Mother Confirmation Devotion of the Sacred Heart Doctors of the Church Easter Family Humor family life Good Friday Growing up Healing Holy Spirit taps Lent Love in the little things Mary Undoer of Knots Not an Apologist Parenting Sacred Heart of Jesus Saint Therese of Lisieux Sin Small Success Saturday Teaching others and myself Uncategorized Waiting Writing Year of Saint Joseph

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz