By Associate Amy Laroque-Romano
This Lent, I am trying to fast from avoidance.
Over the past year, I have sometimes stepped back—from the news, from difficult conversations, from people whose views differ from mine—in the name of self-preservation.
But prayer has been gently revealing how easily that withdrawal can become rooted in fear rather than trust.
Recently, I began a new role that has taken me from working in the city to serving in a rural and semi-rural community.
This transition has placed me in relationship with people whose political and social perspectives often differ from my own.
Instead of retreating into familiar circles, I am trying to practice a different discipline: listening without defensiveness, asking questions with humility, and trusting that the Spirit is at
work even in conversations that feel uncomfortable.
Participating in our parish’s Book Planting Project has deepened this Lenten practice.
The project seeks to “plant” books in our communities that illuminate the struggles and hopes of those who pursued a more just society.
Extending these books—inviting others to read and engage—is itself a step outside my comfort zone. I sometimes fear that the invitation may unsettle or even upset.
Yet choosing to share them is an act of trust: that learning can be holy, that honest history can strengthen faith, and that dialogue can open hearts.
I have also begun reconnecting with family members I once avoided.
The conversations are not always easy. Yet I am learning that when fears are not dismissed too quickly, hearts soften—mine included.
Perhaps this Lent, fasting is not only about giving something up, but about surrendering fear so that charity, courage, and deeper communion can take root.
