I had a daydream about a conversation with my friend Jesus. I asked him what he was giving up for Lent. He said he wandered in the desert without water or food for 40 days. He asked me what I was giving up for Lent.

“I dunno,” I said. “Cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream?”

Then Jesus punched me in the face. I stopped daydreaming.

As shocked as I was by my own mind, I’ve decided that Jesus perhaps acted in the correct manner. Of course he’s angry. Lent has become a big joke.

In my private Catholic school, we were told that the purpose of Lent was to suffer the way Jesus suffered. On Ash Wednesday, we had our heads anointed with ashes and then had to sit in the chapel and wait for everyone to confess their sins. My freshman year I decided to try my hand in it. I let the father put ashes on my head, and then I confessed.

“I’ve done some really bad stuff,” I said. “You are forgiven,” he responded.

Was it that easy? “Lent is the best!” I thought. However, I couldn’t decide what was big enough to give up.

My friends assured me it wasn’t that big of a deal. They said I could give up something small. Then I became confused. My friend gave up eating M&M cookies, and that was supposed to be comparable to starving in a hot desert while being taunted by a devil?

I shrugged. I gave up pop or something equally as mundane. In college, most of my friends give up things like fast food, or drinking more than once a week. It’s simple really. While being a good Christian, they also get to lose weight for spring break.

Some people don’t even pretend it is about Jesus at all. I asked a friend why she celebrates Lent.

“I dunno,” she said. “It’s tradition.”

What I want to know is, what is the point of Lent if it no longer has any meaning? Everyone I’ve asked just shrugs, like Lent is just one of those things I should do, like brush my teeth.

This year, after some off and on Lent attempts, I’ve come up with a new approach. I’ve decided that if I’m going to do something for Christ, I should try to do something good with myself. This Lenten season, my friends and I are going to do some volunteering on the weekends. I’m going to call my family more and keep my temper in check. Isn’t it better to try to give to others than to try to throw something away?

I suppose I’ve finally decided what I’m giving up.

I’m giving up Lent.

Everdeen Mason is a junior in journalism. She can be reached at [email protected].