Clara May Rowland (1890–1977) served as director of Silent Unity from 1916 to 1971. This article was originally published in Daily Word® magazine in 1943.

By Clara May Rowland

Throughout the church world during the season of Lent, people strive to become better Christians. Therefore we should not look upon it as a forbidding or a sad season of fasting and prayer but as a spiritual experience that means much to all of us if we enter into its observance in the right spirit.

Primarily the purpose of Lent is to prepare us mentally, physically and spiritually for a new awakening; to resurrect us out of old states of consciousness into a new realization of life; and to permit us to reconsecrate and rededicate ourselves to the will and the work of Jesus Christ. Through our spiritual awakening, we shall find renewed life and health, a joyous freedom from burdens, and best of all, peace of mind.

Our preparation consists first of all of a careful, impersonal and honest appraisal of our thinking habits in order to see how they can be improved. In the early days, penitent Christians began Lent by acknowledging their sins and by entering up on a period of public penance. Today we know that we can find release from error and the effects of erroneous thinking in the past by … bringing our mind and heart into unity with the Christ mind so that its divine ideas may control our thinking and guide it into constructive channels.

… Every one of us has habits that need correcting, habits of thinking and feeling … eating, speaking and acting that should be given up, replaced by better ones.

When we set about giving up a bad habit for a good one we are not losing anything. We are gaining. We are not renouncing the good things of life. As a matter of fact, we never let go of anything unworthy of us without immediately making room in our mind and heart and life for something much better.

… In metaphysics we are daily practicing renunciation through our use of denials and affirmations. We deny that which we do not desire in our life and affirm or claim that which we do desire.

Let Lent be for you a time of self-discipline. If you have been eating too much, practice restraining your appetite … If you have indulged in a bad temper … restrain your impulse to “fly off the handle.” If you have been prone to nag, to criticize, to find fault, covenant with yourself now to give up the habit and to improve your disposition.

… Through the Spirit of truth within us we have wisdom and understanding. We are not in doubt about things. We do not say, “I do not know; I do not understand.” We do know. We do understand.

… During the Lenten season we become especially aware of the desire in the hearts of [people] … to expand their spiritual nature through prayer. There are multitudes praying, even as you and I are, and there is a great spiritual urge in all of us to grow, to rise to greater heights.