Now, some might think this virtue is, well, not a virtue. How do we reconcile this with the virtue of humility? People who are magnanimous aren’t proud, since they consider everything they have and are as a gift from God. And since God is so good, His gifts are likewise good. The magnanimous person desires to use those gifts as best he can, not so that he is praised, but that God is praised through him.

What would it be like if we got ready for Lent by bringing these questions to the Lord about our lives?

Rather than just give up or take on a bunch of stuff, good as it can be, I have sensed the Lord inviting me to ask Him, “What is the biggest wound in my life?” “What is hell’s strategy for my life?” “Now, based on what You reveal to me, Lord, what should I do this Lent?”

Paul has always been a hero of mine. When I was just out of college, I spent the better part of a summer praying with every verse where Paul spoke about himself. It allowed me to feel as though I really got to know Paul. He’s been my model of priesthood ever since. It’s almost impossible to overstate the impact this man, who wrote less than 80 pages, has had on Church and world history.

“You know him?”

It’s a cry from her heart, a cry of holy jealousy, of longing. It’s as if she says, “Wait! You two have met him? You walk with him? You’ve seen him heal? Heard him preach? Had your lives changed because of him? You are his friends? You know him? I want to know him too!”

When was the last time someone asked me that? When was the last time someone asked you that?