The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy Psalm 126:3

When I read Psalm 126:3 I naturally think of how the Lord has blessed me abundantly and how fortunate I am. I am so lucky to be able to receive an education here at Santa Clara, to have myfamily and friends who love and support me and to have everything I could need and thensome. The Lord has been merciful and has always provided for me. I have never had to wonderwhen my next meal would be (aside from the times it feels like the clock is frozen in class!)When my clothes get old I can go down to the mall and buy new ones. When my dorm room gets cold I can crank up the heater and snuggle under blankets. I have everything I could possibly need, so why am I always longing for more?

Living in this culture of consumerism, it is easy to forget about how blessed I truly am when I am constantly bombarded with messages and advertisements that tell me I always need newer, better, and more things. Just when I think I have the latest and greatest new thing, an even newer one comes out. We are surrounded with the idea that what we have is never good enough and that we always need more. Often we are even told by the media that we are not good enough and need to be thinner, prettier, stronger, etc. and that we need to buy more products to achieve our goals. Unfortunately these lies can get in our heads and bring us down trapping us in a cycle of constant desire where we can never be satisfied.

Amidst all these confusing messages, what is one place we can turn that always remains consistent in this ever improving world? God. God's love is truly perfect and therefore never needs to be changed. He loves us unconditionally and it is in his love that we find true joy, not just the superficial pleasures that come from the material objects of this world. By simplifying our lives and refocusing on Him as we are called to do in this Lenten season, we will be overjoyed by how content we are with all that we have and all that we are.

The Pope has urged us to reduce waste saying “This culture of waste has made us insensitive even to the waste and disposal of food, which is even more despicable when all over the world, unfortunately, many individuals and families are suffering from hunger and malnutrition…. Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of the poor and the hungry.” We get so caught up in our shallow desires that we forget the grave needs of others. During Lent we should take time to reflect on how blessed we are and remember all those who are not as fortunate as ourselves. We should stop taking all that we have for granted and instead do whatever we can to use all that God has given us. Maybe this means finishing meals instead of throwing out good food. Perhaps it means donating old clothes instead of throwing them away. Whatever it may be, we should take care to remember that not everyone is as fortunate as us and do whatever we can, even the little things, to help our brothers and sisters in need remember that we are all children of God and to look at all the Lord has given us with joy and gratitude.