The Lenten Edition
Do you want to talk about what you’re doing for Lent?
Or would you prefer to keep that a secret?
Hey, I am all about helping one another along the path of sanctity…and that’s what Lent is for, of course—growing in holiness and drawing closer to Our Lord. There is a world of good that we can do with our penances, if only we focus on doing them for God and not self-improvement.
And for me, that’s the hardest part.
So often my Lenten list of penances reads like a “To Do” list of dream behaviors:
- Give up coffee.
- Give up sugar.
- Heck, eat less in general!
- Start being more accountable.
- Stop being so distracted.
- Heck, be more organized in general!
- Go to Mass more.
- Pray the Rosary more.
…and by now, you get the picture!
I dream big and fail often, all because my goals are too high. What little gifts can I give to Our Lord to thank Him for what He did for me? Those little gifts add up, I know.
Well, for me there are two big areas where I can make lots of little gifts. You know them already, don’t you? They are…
…big gulp but no big surprises here…
I can’t imagine quitting both cold turkey. I would be a most unhappy camper if I did, because these little luxuries are the highlights of my day! However, they also represent the biggest “attachments” in my life, and I know that therein lies the sacrifice.
(Or two. Or three.)
Be prepared, then, for a bit less blogging and maybe the comments box turned off from time to time. The coffee thing won’t affect you, fortunately—but woe to the people who live with me!
(I’m kidding, you know. Our penance should not be a penance for others. I can’t give up my cups of half-caff, but I can abstain from adding cream…and buying those delicious whole coffee beans from Caribou…and enjoying anything at all that resembles a decent cup of coffee…)
So there’s where I’m at in preparation for Ash Wednesday. If you’d like to talk about your spiritual goals, feel free; I’d love to hear them! What do you plan to give up for Our Lord? What do you plan to do for Him?
All for the greater glory of God,
I’m also giving up coffee. I got an early start Thursday and have had the most horrendous headache for two days. I’m also giving up reading blogs, but I’m looking forward to Sundays 🙂 We have a lot in common. I turned off my comments last Lent and never turned them on until this week for a Lent raffle.
Oh, you! Make me accountable? How could you?
Here’s what I plan to give up or do differently:
1) Eggs (oh wait, I have to do that)
1 again) Get to bed before midnight.
2) Get up and pray at least a decade of the rosary before little people are bugging me for food.
3) Fold my laundry right when it comes out of the dryer (you should see the laundry room now…my goal is to make the sacrifice to actually sit down and DO IT rather than run off to something else – which is what I usually do.)
All of mine are behaviors. I have so many allergies that it is hard to give up food when I already can’t have baked goodies along with a whole passel of other foods. I’m offering up that sacrifice for another cause.
Now, if I were really feeling sacrificial, I’d give up Diet Coke, but my husband said I needn’t punish the whole family…
It was lovely seeing you this morning, beautiful friend and (6th daughter 😉
I’m giving up my free time – meaning reading time and devoting it to prayer and spiritual reading – which is why I’ve been so pleased to see your book recommendations. It’s the one thing that would hurt and also benefit me spiritually.
I’ve toyed with giving up blogging for Lent as well as I’m not really feeling drawn to it right now anyway. I think God wants my attention elsewhere.
I was going to give up coffee, BUT a friend of mine adamently said DO NOT DO THAT – IT WILL PUNISH THOSE AROUND YOU. So, that said, and she’s right . . . I’ll be doing spritual walks (with my rosary). I am going to the Basilia in D.C. tomorrow for confession and going to hopefully find a Lenten companion book – I’m sure I’ll find one. I may get Conversations With God . . . any suggestions?
I should give up chocolate. I can – it’s food – it won’t give me an headache not to eat it. Plus, it would be such an healthy move for me. Anyway, I’m still thinking about what to give up.
Sarah, you can’t go wrong with In Conversation with God. Buying the whole set all at once is rather pricey, but I highly recommend picking up the Lent/Eastertide volume.
PS. DO NOT get Conversations with God. It is not at all the same series.
I have no idea what to do. Lately I’ve been feeling really “dry” when it comes to faith–I don’t want to do anything, and I don’t know how to move myself out of it. I recently bought a St. Francis prayer book, and that’s helped a little, but I have no idea how to reinvigorate myself. Any suggestions?
PPS. Here is the link to the book I’m recommending.
I have to do the coffee thing, or at least switch to decaff. It’s playing havoc on my adrenal issues. That will be a BIG sacrifice for me, even though I usually only have one cup a day. Chocolate. Now that has also been an “issue” for me the past few weeks. Too much chocolate =’s an over indulgence issue. Now that might be something to think about. I’m not liking this “sacrifice” thing. Is Ash Wednesday really only “GASP!” 3 whole days away???
Still thinking about what I will be doing. I try to keep it not too big that I will fail, but something that is difficult. Most often I give up dessert, because that hurts me the most. I to add in some new practice every year as well and I hope to continue it after lent as well.
Not buying new books during lent might be something, too. I tend to want to buy every book I see recommended, but I need to just write them down for a later date, because I have a lot of good ones waiting for me right now. I’ve already slowed down the blogging a lot, so that shouldn’t be hard. The computer is a big distraction to me. I’m going to have to find some balance with that, because some blogs, and people I have met through them, have helped me to grow in my faith as well.
I guess that’s about it. I may pick up some other things along the way. I’ll keep myself open for suggestions that God wants to give me. I think letting go of attachments during lent, really helps me to pay attention to God a lot more. I guess thats the point, huh?
I recently posted our Lenten traditions and practices, http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2009/02/lotsa-links-for-lent.html
We tend to ADD offerings vs. taking away as both can encourage us to greater holiness.
I also posted, because I fail too, a 12 Steps to recommiting after falling off the lent wagon. 🙂
Hopefully we can nourish each other with posts of faith during Lent.
I’m planning on giving up desserts. I wasn’t sure about it because my daughter’s birthday is during Lent so I thought I couldn’t possibly not have a cupcake for her birthday. But then I realized that it is actually possible. Also, since I’m a vegetarian I thought I should abstain from something other than meat on Fridays so I think I’ll abstain from bread on those days.
I’ve been thinking about the triangle…prayer, fasting, and charity (aka almsgiving). I have always focused on what to give up (fasting) or what to add (prayer) but miss connecting the alms to it. You know, if you give up your fancy coffee, then you set aside the money you saved and give it to the poor.
I was thinking, for example, if we were to give up candy as a family, then each time we wanted a piece, we would put it in a bowl, say a prayer for the poor or sick, and then give it to a soup kitchen or food pantry or children’s hospital at Easter.
(How ironic that while we’re talking about fasting, here, the word verification is – “filling”!)
I’m giving up the internet this year (except at work, because that’s separate and it would hard to do my job without the internet!). I might allow myself half an hour or so at night, just to check my email and such, but that’s it. I expect it’ll be difficult (I’m too addicted), but it’ll be really good for me, and I’m already stocking up on spiritual reading books. I’m considering giving up coffee, too (I did it for the 40 Days for Life this past fall. It was really hard, but really great, too). Haven’t decided about that yet, though.
As a family we’re going to give up our “eating out” – which is something we like to splurge on, and we’ll give the money we save to the poor at the end of Lent. Personally, I’m going to give up chocolate again – I tend to do the same thing every year, but it’s the only thing that is actually meaningful for me… And it’s really not easy. I feel a bit silly about it – but it is one thing I can sacrifice that Our Lord knows is a real sacrifice for me – giving up anything else is just too easy. 🙂 I’m also going to add more spiritual reading a prayer time (and hopefully it will *stick* when Lent is over). We have our St. Therese Sacrifice beads all ready, and I’m preparing hearts to go on our Mercy Cross – so our “celebration of sacrifice” is almost all ready to start! It’s almost Ash Wednesday!!! 🙂
~Jenny
My kids say they intend to give up school, to which I retorted that I would give up laundry!
I’m limiting my recreational computer time to 1 hour per day.
I’m giving up the good coffee and I’m drinking the replacement black.
I’m giving up meat, and cheese where practicle, and sweets, of course. I try to inflict as much suffering on myself as possible. It’s what makes lent fun.
I've usually given up Dr. Pepper. But, since I haven't had any in the house for about 10 days, I'm going to try something else for sacrifice. I'm not sure what, yet.
We also try to add something spiritual or charitable as a family. Hubby & I plan to talk about this tomorrow.
The best sacrifice that we make as a family is giving up TV (save for LOST. However, with online access, we could watch on Sunday… something to consider).
Since we are so far out of town, some of the normal things we've done won't be as easy or even available – increased Mass attendance, weekly Stations of the Cross, KC Fish Fry (I like fish, but this is a real sacrifice – I'd rather eat tuna sandwiches!).
I’m so glad you posted about this. I have been struggling about what to do because I’m trying to be honest with myself about the limitations delivering a baby smack dab in the middle of Lent will bring. I’ve ruled out giving up any kind of food because of all the sickness/nausea issues I’ve had. TV, although a great sacrifice last year, is difficult with crazy newborn sleep schedules and 2 small ones to entertain while dealing with baby. Reading email and blogs are some of few convenient things to do while nursing a baby. Etc, etc, etc…I’m probably letting myself off too easily, but like some other commenters have suggested, making life difficult for the rest of the family is not really the point either. So what I think I’ve decided on is a daily Rosary. One, this is something I’ve felt called to start doing for some time and I just haven’t prioritized correctly. Second, hopefully this will help me focus on the Prayer aspect of Lent. And third, I can pray the Rosary anywhere, while I’m resting my huge, tired, 9 month pregnant self, while I’m in the hospital, pre and post delivery (even during delivery if I’m really good, right?) and while I’m nursing or rocking to sleep a precious newborn. Any time of day, any where…It will definitely mean a different kind of Lent for me, but hopefully bring me closer to God in the life He has given me right now.
Last Lent, our parish sponsored Father Larry, who was WONDERFUL! If you don’t know who he is, (I didn’t!), his website is http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/
He had so many things to say that I needed to hear! This year, since he’s going to another parish, I am going to re-listen to his talks (you can get his cd’s through his site or the Mary foundation) Father Larry has a way of softening hearts and he sure helped me so much last year.
Each year I try to give up something I’m attached to and then add something more beneficial. Cutting computer time in favor of more prayers is one thing I plan to do. Another thing I am doing is exercising. I know it doesn’t sound like a penance but it is to me. I have found in the past that being more disciplined in that area helps me in my spiritual life too. It is something I need to do and something I really hate to do so it is perfect as a penance, plus it is beneficial for both body and soul! I used to pray the rosary while I was on the treadmill. I might do that or listen to Donna Cori Gibson cd’s while I’m sweating off that stubborn 10 lbs. I also plan on giving up my glass (or two!) of wine in the evenings. Believe me, that is a sacrifice! In place of that I will donate the money to our local crisis pregnancy center.
And, if you aren’t blogging as much then that is a penance for us by default! Because we love reading your blog so much 🙂
Blogging and reading blogs. It going to be very hard for me, but I think it will be worth it. I plan on adding in a nightly examination of conscience.
I’m hoping to find more time for reading the Bible especially the Gospels. I plan on less blog reading so I’ll miss you Margaret to give me more time for spiritual reading. I also hope to attend more daily masses. I am also looking forward to the Apostolate for Family consecrations new book on the Divine Mercy. It has readings for the 40 days prior to the feast of Divine Mercy. For my family, I hope to turn off the TV more and spend more time together. Blessings on your day!!
The Church Ladies at the Pious Sodality are posting recipes for 40 Meatless Meals – one for each day of Lent – if you’re looking for some fasting ideas.
http://church-ladies.blogspot.com/2009/02/lent-is-time-of-year-where-catholic.html
I have talked myself in and out of giving up every one of my pleasures and bad habits over the past few weeks. Your note last week on thinking of what will bring us closer to God was very helpful. I think I have decided on an additional daily mass during the week as well as reading and meditating on the daily mass readings. Plus, I’ll probably give up my much loved Weight Watchers 1-point Fudgsicle every night. I really like my ice cream so this is huge!
I’m going to attend Daily Mass during Lent. I usally go two or three times during the week, but I’m very flexible if something comes up (Mass goes out the window). I’m going to make it a priority.
I give up dare I say it, social smoking every Lent. I’m one of those horrid smokers who goes to a party and spends half the night outside with friends smoking and laughing and talking. It’s hard to stop because I miss the company. But I do and it’s my huge sacrifice every Lent.
I’m giving up Caffeine Free Diet Coke and chocolate Can’t drink the full strength stuff, and the caffeine free is a real crutch, as is the chocolate. (I keep those little Hershey Nuggets in the freezer! Love ’em) It will be a real sacrifice. I also try to give up People.com which I shouldn’t be bothering with anyway. Everyone has some great suggestions for charity. Always forget that part!