Being a good steward requires sacrifices in our life

What are we really being called to do during Lent? Does giving up chocolate or wine for 40 days draw us closer to Christ? Lent is a time to make sacrifices that draw us into a closer relationship with Christ and ultimately make us a better person. 
When my kids ask their dad what he is giving up for Lent, just like his father always told him, he replies “watermelon and rutabagas.”  Well, they don’t think that is much of a sacrifice when they have chosen to give up sodas or sweets. The real sacrifice is what they don’t see. He, like his father, chooses to make sacrifices that will bring him closer to Christ in more private, prayerful ways without making a big deal about what he is “giving up.” I think this is a great example of what Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew:   
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. ... But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” – Matthew 6:16-18.
Yes, Lent does call us to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These are all fundamental to living the life of a Christian Steward. Being a good steward requires making sacrifices in our life, not just during Lent, but in all that we do. However, Lent provides a very significant 40 days to reflect on our relationship with God and the ultimate sacrifice He made for us.
Throughout the Bible there are many stories with 40 days of sacrifice. The great flood, the conversion of Nineveh and Jesus in the desert are three examples.
In Genesis 7, we are told that it rained for 40 days and nights bringing a great flood that cleansed the land of its wickedness. The flood was like God hitting the reset button. The great flood cleared the land of the evil and sin that had overwhelmed it. During our 40 days of Lent we are called to clean our own spiritual house.
In Jonah 3:4, the people of Nineveh heeded Jonah’s warning and fasted for 40 days to repent for their sins saving Nineveh from destruction. This is a perfect example of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Our Lord truly loves us unconditionally, there is no sin He can’t forgive. We are blessed with the sacrament of reconciliation.    
In the New Testament, Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days in the desert while being tempted by the devil before beginning His public ministry (Matthew 4:2). His public ministry ended in the ultimate sacrifice: death on the cross. This He sacrificed for our eternal salvation.  
Just like the 40 days in the Bible, Lent is here to challenge us to transform our own life and help us grow close to God in preparation for Easter. So rather than “giving up” something insignificant, make time for prayer, donate to a charity that will help someone in need or privately fast without bringing attention. After all, our sacrifice is between us and the Lord.  
 “If you wish to come after me you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me. For if you wish to save your life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake you will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
­­— Shannon Roh is the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile.