Is it important to give something up for Lent?

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So, yeah, that is the question above. Also, it’s not required, correct? But it is a common practice in the Church. Can addition of devotions, etc. be substituted for giving things up, or ought one really do both?
 
I think it’s more important that your Lenten devotion brings you closer to Christ. If praying the rosary every day will do it more than giving up chocolate, then you should pray the rosary. Or, you could do both! I personally try to give something up and add something to replace it. Otherwise, it can just leave a gap open for another bad habit.
 
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Do it, if you want to be spiritually cleansed prior to Easter.
 
The three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. There’s no requirement to do any of them with two exceptions: the Church in the United States requires abstaining from meat on the Fridays of Lent and requires fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Beyond that, you can choose to participate or not in activities related to Lent and you can choose how much or how little you wish to participate.

The point of all of these activities is to prepare yourself spiritually for Easter. If you choose to go lighter on the fasting side of things, perhaps you would want to do more with prayer or almsgiving. In any case, it’s up to you to find the activities that will be of the most benefit.
 
Lent is a time of penance. The Church over the centuries has more and more left it up to the individual believer to do penance in his or her own way, with very little requirements binding on all.

As others have mentioned, penance can take a variety of forms from giving up comforts or pleasures to prayer to alms giving, etc.
 
I think it sets the season apart for us in our prayer lives and hearts. It calls to mind the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and helps us to incorporate those into our lives beyond Lent.
Lent is not just a period of minor-keyed music, no flowers, no sweets or blah blah stuff.
It can come alive as we walk with Christ to Calvary.

At least it does for me.
 
I think the idea is to do something to get closer to Jesus. Every year I hear a few sermons about how “giving something up for Lent” is not what it’s all about. Last year I remember one about how everybody gives up chocolate, or smoking (and half of them aren’t able to go without the cigarette for more than a couple of days), and how it would really be better to spend extra time in prayer and really think about what Lent means.

For me, the 90 day novena with at least two fast days a week and lots of extra prayers is going to go straight through Lent, so that’s what I’ll be doing.
 
Easter is the most Joyous Sunday of the year.

If you want to experience God’s pouring out of joy on that day (his revelation), then do penance.
 
It is more like a change…like giving up in front of God. Like Christ did also concede in front of His Fathet.
I know the prayer of St. Isaac the Sirian is specific for Easter Lent. Just to give yourself up, the goal is to give yourself up.
 
Lent is a season of penance, and it’s not always about giving up something. It might also be committing to something. For example, performing extra acts of charity of piety above what you or most people normally would.

It can also be some ascetism, such as opening your mouth for nothing except for necessary or edifying purposes.

All that is important. What is required though is the penitential discipline imposed in your territory, which means, usually, abstinence from meat on Fridays and fast and abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
Fasting is giving up of some good thing. Yes, it is important to fast during Lent. The extent of your fasting may vary, some do the minimum and others choose to do more.

Adding prayer is also important (that prayer may be in the form of devotions such as the Rosary or Stations of the Cross or reading a devotional), but, “Prayer” and “Fasting” are two different disciplines.
 
I prefer the term “pour yourself out” rather than “give yourself up”.

Semantics…
 
Well. I agree.

However, I’d add that a more effective lent encompasses sacrificing something while replacing it with a good deed.

It can be habit changing.
 
It would be nice to hear what others are planning to do. I need to be more creative in this area.
Last year I gave up TV for the entire Lent and I’m pleased to say it was so refreshing that I gave it up permanently! It is still sitting there, but I never watch. So that was a very good change in my life. TV is really quite horrible (IMO).
I try to fast, everyday, from some bit of food that I like–e.g. that third cup of coffee. Food fasting is very difficult for me, since I struggle to even eat regular balanced meals in ordinary life.
I also try to do an act of charity or kindness every day. I think this year I will increase daily plenary indulgences for the Holy Souls.
 
Whatever you choose I recommend keeping it private. That alone can be enough of a challenge for some of us.
 
I’ve heard varying things on telling versus not telling. If we are prone to spiritual pride, I would say it’s better not to tell.

But I think we can give our fellow brothers and sister’s good ideas, sometimes, which can be a good thing.
 
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I agree. I think sometimes by sharing we can also make someone feel bad because their sacrifice doesn’t seem as “good”.

Whenever I make suggestions about anything spiritual I usually say I knew/know a person who does X, Y, Z. I do my very best not to say “I do this”, and that’s because I am prone to spiritual pride. I also don’t share specifically personal events in my spiritual life for the same two reasons- I don’t want someone to feel bad and make it seem like I’ve somehow got my act together (believe me I don’t!) and I’m prone to the sin of pride.
 
JamalChristophr said:
But I think we can give our fellow brothers and sister’s good ideas, sometimes, which can be a good thing.
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Sometimes it’s also helpful to have one person who helps keep you accountable. Having someone ask “How’s the _____ coming along?” can be a great motivator.
 
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