I’ve heard some Catholics over the years say that they dread Lent. Fasting and self-denial are understandably not things that bring great excitement to many people. Most people, I suspect, would choose the springtime flowers of Easter over the “desert” of Lent.

Why do we give up things, abstain from meat on Friday, and fast during Lent? In answering the question, it makes sense to mention Jesus’ forty days in the desert and his sacrifice on the Cross for us: Since Jesus fasted for forty days, we should try to follow his example. Since he gave up his life for us on Calvary, we surely can spend a season giving up a few little things for him.

I’d like to add a somewhat deeper response, however: Giving up some things that we love during the season of Lent helps us to learn to love God above all things, making our hearts more like the heart of Jesus.

Think of some of the things you might give up for Lent, the kinds of little things that you look forward to during the course of your ordinary life. Is it a glass of wine or a can of beer? Dessert? A latte? Social Media or television? Hot showers? Unnecessary shopping? Video games? Listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts? These kinds of things are generally good, at least in moderation, and are some of the gifts of creation that God has given us.

So often, though, we as humans tend to love the good things of creation more than we love God. We’d rather spend 20 minutes scrolling online than praying a Rosary. We’d rather stop by a coffee shop than a Church. We’d rather take another trip to our pantries than serve in a food pantry. We’d rather taste a chocolate chip cookie than taste the goodness of the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. We enjoy God’s gifts, but we are not all that interested in the Gift-giver.

Our hearts shouldn’t be this way. If our humanity wasn’t fallen, we would sing out in praise at every opportunity to encounter the Lord in prayer, in service, or in the sacraments, but our hearts are disfigured by original sin and our own personal sins.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ has come among us to call us back to the joy of communion with God. As we become transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, the little pleasures of life begin to seem paltry compared to the joy of intimacy with the God who loves us. We begin to discover that God is infinitely more enjoyable than the things of creation. God, after all, is the ultimate happiness of Heaven: We will be in ecstasy not because of some quaint things that God will give us in the afterlife, but because we will fully behold the beauty of the God who gives us Himself.

Setting aside some of our favorite things for forty days is tough, but it gives us an opportunity to refocus our hearts toward God. Each time we crave the things we’ve given up –lattes, online shopping, social media, or whatever – we can recall that God should be the ultimate desire of our hearts. He alone can satisfy us. If we want to really live the Gospel, we absolutely must answer the call to love God above everything else, i.e., to seek our happiness in Him more than in anything else.

The challenge, of course, is that we cannot fully see the glory of the Lord here in this earthly life. Though we sometimes become interiorly aware of God’s presence, it is not always within our power to muster up feelings of his closeness, his goodness, and his love. In moments of desolation, the Lord wants us to have faith that he is within us through grace, even if we can't feel him there. He wants us to trust that he alone satisfies us, even when the things of this world seem more rewarding.

As Lent approaches, then, try to pinpoint where you’re seeking satisfaction in your daily life. Where does your heart turn when you’re looking for something to give you joy? Did you think of something other than God? If it’s the kind of thing that you can reasonably set aside or limit for 40 days, then plan to do that, even though the sacrifice may seem daunting.

Scripture and Church history are full of examples of holy people like Moses, Elijah, the Desert Fathers, and, of course, Jesus himself, who knew that the desert could be a place of deep communion with God. Freed from the things that promise mere passing joy, they sought the eternal joy of communion with God. Lent offers a similar freedom: By setting aside those things that compete for our affection, we can set our hearts more fully on the Lord, who alone offers true and lasting satisfaction.