Lenten Disciplines

[irish1]

Has anyone given any thought to what discipline they want to engage in for lent? Are we required to deny ourselves something, or may we instead choose to do something positive, such as spending a certain amount of time doing spiritual reading or attending daily mass?

I haven’t decided yet, but definitely plan to spend additional time in prayer.

 

[jpjd]

My understanding is that while most people choose give up something for Lent, you can instead DO something for Lent. But I would be wary of using the easier option of doing something to substitute for the more difficult option of giving up something.

Also, Lent involves prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Fasting and almsgiving can be linked by using the money you saved by fasting, and giving it to the needy. An example of this is “Operation Rice Bowl.”

 

[tjmiller]

Does anyone know where I can get a good hairshirt?
(New, not used, of course…)

 

[Lorrie]

Last year I gave up chocolate, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!!! This year I’m not sure what I will do. Maybe I should do the chocolate thing again since it seemed like such a sacrifice.

 

[marty1818]

Giving something up is not always the hardest thing to do. Doing something spiritually that you usually don’t do can be just as hard. With giving stuff up it gets to the point where you just get use to it and it may not feel like that much of a sacrifice. One lent I decided to go to mass and adoration Monday- Friday and it was one of the hardest things I have done because there are days I just didn’t feel like going. This was also the most fruitful sacrifice I have made during lent.

God Bless,
Matt

 

[Lucania]

I am going to try to volunteer at my Parish sponsored Soup Kitchen (named St. Francis Soup Kitchen) during Lent and hopefully it will turn into something I will do all year through. I would like to increase my prayer life, too. As far as giving up something, I haven’t decided on what just yet.

 

[aurora77]

Our parish usually adds a 7 am Mass every day during lent. I’m going to add that to my schedule (the regular daily Mass is later and I can’t make it due to work).