Lent conversation

[HNA444]

My friend was telling me how she didn’t give anything up for lent, because she says that she knows it won’t last. Instead, she is going to better hersel or be a better person. She continued to say that it’s “for yourself” anyway. And, i said “well no, it’s for God.” And, I kinda seemed like i argued with her for a second, but she saw my point when i expalined that God had sacrificed for us. Was it rude for me to say it like that,. and should i have not said anything?

 

[LeafByNiggle]

My friend was telling me how she didn’t give anything up for lent, because she says that she knows it won’t last. Instead, she is going to better hersel or be a better person. She continued to say that it’s “for yourself” anyway. And, i said “well no, it’s for God.” And, I kinda seemed like i argued with her for a second, but she saw my point when i expalined that God had sacrificed for us. Was it rude for me to say it like that,. and should i have not said anything?

The purpose of giving up something for lent is to foster a true sense of repentance in us - a turning away from sin and back to God. Giving up things during lent is a good way of doing that, but not the only way. Another way is setting aside extra time for prayer and using that time to realize our need for repentance. So your friend may have been partially right in saying that some form of self-improvement could be a suitable alternative. But it is a lot harder to carry out a vague sense of “betterment” when daily temptations press in on you. In fact, her comment about “it won’t last” is more likely to apply to her “better person” effort than to some very specific commitment one might make, like giving up something, or setting aside an extra half hour a day for prayer.

 

[HNA444]

The purpose of giving up something for lent is to foster a true sense of repentance in us - a turning away from sin and back to God. Giving up things during lent is a good way of doing that, but not the only way. Another way is setting aside extra time for prayer and using that time to realize our need for repentance. So your friend may have been partially right in saying that some form of self-improvement could be a suitable alternative. But it is a lot harder to carry out a vague sense of “betterment” when daily temptations press in on you. In fact, her comment about “it won’t last” is more likely to apply to her “better person” effort than to some very specific commitment one might make, like giving up something, or setting aside an extra half hour a day for prayer.

I agree.

 

[valentino]

hna44a:you meant no harm.we all say things that we at times and when we reflect wish we’d said something diferent or nothing at all.

 

[HNA444]

hna44a:you meant no harm.we all say things that we at times and when we reflect wish we’d said something diferent or nothing at all.

Thanks!! I know i didn’t mean any harm, i just felt kind of bad because maybe she has her own perspective and i’m telling her otherwise. I didn’t want to come off sounding like i’m so Holy or perfect when i’m not, it just bothered me because this friend is a good person, but a lot of things she says she chooses not to do (i.e. have sex before marriage, etc.) she says is for herself, she never seems to say because of God (she is Catholic) and it just bothers me because I know a lot of people that are Catholic and don’t really seem to put Him first.

 

[nicolep]

We are required to do penance during Lent, but we don’t have to give something up in order to do so. I tend to think of only the things I cannot do when doing penance. However, I’m sure there are things that CAN be done instead.