And so it is Easter and what have you done? With apologies to John Lennon, the fact is that it is Lent and a time for sacrifice and fasting. Have you taken on the commitment?

I went to a Catholic school some 20-plus years ago and I recall how, even then, the concept of Lent was a struggle to sell at Mass. The priest would try to find something we could all personally give up in lieu of square meals and rabid fasting.

Year in, year out, it was always sweets. Cast out chocolate, surrender sweets and throw out the Twistees, because the sacrifice needed to be personal to mean anything at all. And skipping on meat in an age of pasta (and the myriad sauces one can dream of) was not going to really impress our maker.

A more zealous (and less marketing savvy) colleague of his suggested one should renounce football and other such games during lunch break and instead come and spend some time in the chapel. This did not happen.

The abstention from meat and sweets as default sacrifices is a little pointless in the age we live in. These days people are getting more health conscious and an excuse to trim the fat isn’t exactly a sacrifice. I’ve seen many devote themselves to strict diet and exercise regimens and, if you asked them to fast it’s a bit like asking a dog to shed hair. The rest of us? Great, we’re skipping dessert, I’ll just help myself to a second helping of penne al salmone.

A priest suggested we should renounce games during school lunch breaks and instead spend some time in the chapel. This did not happen

My catechism is rather stale so please forgive any mis-recollections of doctrine. So with this in mind, even if you are not the most religious of people, I do feel there is ample opportunity to take advantage of the expiatory climate to wean off some bad habits.

Let’s begin with social media (ducks for cover). I’m not suggesting we ban these websites from our lives. No, just at the table. No calls, no status updates, no food shots – no phones at all. Just give up your phone for a short time every day, and it may as well be while you’re in the company of family and friends. It costs you nothing.

If you’re feeling up to the challenge, try a technology ban for an hour of your waking day when at home. No internet, no television, no gadgets of any kind. If you want entertainment, play a board game, read a book or go for a walk (leave the phone behind). It’s a toughie and maybe you can start off by trying it out at least on the weekend – kicking off with an hour a day might be a little bit of an overdose.

If you’re still working around the premise of food, try limiting yourself to meals you’ve entirely prepared yourself. Nothing out of a box, jar or can (or take-out menu). This is especially good if you’re not much of a cook. Have you ever baked your own bread? It can be very rewarding.

These examples mostly deal with changing habits, and admittedly to some it can be a little less of a sacrifice and more of an excuse to rethink their routine for the better (thus making the act selfish). If you feel that way then the best thing you can give up for Lent is your time. Babysit your friends’ kids for a few evenings; it is a simple enough chore. Or go a step further and volunteer some hours with Hospice Malta and help the elderly. Many charitable NGOs would rather have an extra set of hands to work on some repairs than get a small cash donation. That being said, purging your cupboard space of things you are not wearing and taking them over to the SPCA is also a great act, especially if you’ve taken the time to clean them first. You can take a few dogs for a walk while you’re at it.

And if you haven’t purged Facebook out of your life yet, then look up ‘Let’s do it Malta’, a group of people who periodically target beautiful locations around our island and clean them up of litter and trash. They do this all year round, giving their time and patience to make Malta a better place.

Which, ultimately, is the point. I can respect the devotion one undertakes to separate themselves from a steak out of respect for the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. But those who give of their most limited of resources – their time – to the betterment of others all year around... Well, that wins my respect and admiration.

It’s probably more Christian too.