Need ideas - lent

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Cupcake143

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I don’t know what to give up/take up this Lenten season, but I want to make it a good one. Last year I gave up listening to music in the car, pray rosary daily. I thought not listening to music in the car would be much more difficult than it was. So, I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing much. I want to do something where I will feel closer to God. I know I can do more spiritually, like pray rosary or attend mass throughout the week, etc. but, I need some ideas on what I could give up, because I don’t have anything specific that I have to have or attached to. Does anyone have something that you gave up previously that made any kind of positive difference??

Thanks!
 
You don’t have to give up something. Doing additional spiritual reading would be a good idea.

If I recall correctly, you sometimes suffer from scruples. It might be best to talk over options with your pastor.
 
1ke said:
You don’t have to give up something. Doing additional spiritual reading would be a good idea.

If I recall correctly, you sometimes suffer from scruples. It might be best to talk over options with your pastor.
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I’ve been meaning to get a couple new Catholic books actually. Thank you!!
 
1ke said:
You don’t have to give up something. Doing additional spiritual reading would be a good idea.

If I recall correctly, you sometimes suffer from scruples. It might be best to talk over options with your pastor.
Click to expand...
And yes, I do suffer with scruples spmetimes. Maybe I could find something to do or read daily about that can help me get rid of my scruples.
 
This is my first Lent as a Catholic, but this year I am going to try to give up video games, to read Christian Prayer daily (at least the morning or evening office) and to step up my daily scripture readings. I started a program last year to read the Bible and the Catechism in a year, and I am about two or three months behind, so I am going to try for three sets of readings a day with the goal to finish it by Easter. Last year I wasn’t yet confirmed, but I gave up video games and prayed the rosary daily. I might do either the rosary again or the Divine Mercy chaplet daily as well. Giving up video games will give me more time for prayer, writing my books, and practicing music for mass.
 
Adding in a good habit still requires giving up your time. So you are giving up something.
 
You might consider visiting an elderly Catholic in a nursing home or any elderly person that could use a friendly person to visit with. There are so many that have outlived their friends and families. For an elderly Catholic you could help them pray, read or pray the Rosary. It takes a special person to do this consistently and hopefully it will carry over past Lent. It is just and idea. Speak to your Priest in you are interested in doing something like this. He will know of someone in such a need. Peace.
 
Hello Cupcake

Giving up things is okay, but “doing” something this Lent that will help you grow spiritually will make it a ‘good’ Lent. The kind of Lent that will make you feel different on Easter Sunday is a Lent that helps us to evolve and be closer to our Lord. Spend these days before Lent reflecting on things that take you away from God, or keep you from being closer to him.

Do you spend more time on Facebook every day than than in prayer? If so, cut back on Facebook and spend more frequent visits mentally with our Lord. Load a few pictures of Jesus during His sorrowful passion onto your phone or iPad and when you catch yourself checking Facebook, go to His photo and talk to Him a few minutes.

If you spend money frequently at fast food places, stop yourself and put money aside and each Sunday put that into poor box in your church

Sign up for your own personal hour of Eucharistic Adoration once a week

Randomly let a bible fall open and read those pages only. You will be surprised how that page may apply to your day

Whatever you (all of us) decide to do each Lent, we should keep doing all year long to make us just a little closer to God each year and evolve into a more holy soul by these baby steps.

Giving up candy and things are good for the waistline, but doesn’t help us develop spiritually, yet it does help us control our urges and perfect discipline.

Reflect on your weaknesses and ask the Holy Spirit to help bring light to things you need to personally improve on, even giving up being negative, grumpy, gossiping, etc.

Sorry I’m rambling, I’m done now. Good luck this Lent, and peace be with you…
 
Cupcake143 said:
And yes, I do suffer with scruples spmetimes. Maybe I could find something to do or read daily about that can help me get rid of my scruples.
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**Read St. Gertrude! **

Her spirituality is one of humble praise and thanksgiving in which the soul forgets herself and looks to the all-loving, all-wise, all-powerful God. “Forgetfulness of self is the tomb of scruples.” (Sr. Marie-Catherine Putigny) The natural consequence of this is abandonment, love, peace and joy.

archive.org/stream/lovepeaceandjoya00prevuoft#page/n1/mode/2up

or

archive.org/stream/thelifeandrevela00gertuoft#page/n7/mode/2up

A lenten practice recommended by God Himself:

“It will be the duty of My dear spouses, their sweetest duty, during Lent to keep Me special company in My Passion, by meditating more frequently on My sufferings, the price of the Redemption of man. Above all, they should be at this time so many other Veronicas destined by love to wipe My Divine Face.”
  • Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata
It is also good to do everything in a spirit of reparation, uniting the least of your actions to those theandric (and therefore infinitely perfect and meritorious) acts of Jesus, God Incarnate.
 
If you are able, try attending Daily Mass, which has helped me a lot in staying focused on my spiritual life throughout the week. Daily Rosary? Divine Office, even if its only one office per day? Adoration? Spiritual Reading? Doing something extra will benefit you more than giving something up in the long run.
 
Thank you so much everyone for your responses! You all gave me some great ideas to think about. I think I will plan on praying the rosary and stations of the cross daily, spiritual reading, and think about where I can volunteer one day a week. I might also give up some kind of treat. If anyone has more suggestions I would love to hear them. Thanks!
 
This is a list I came up with for myself. I am not doing all of these things, I selected a couple items from this list for my Lenten journey.
-Daily Rosary
-Daily Gospel reading
-Abstain from alcohol
-Daily fasting
-Read a good Catholic book for 15 minutes or more per day
-Abstain from all sweets
-Do a daily Examen of Conscience
-Buy nothing I don’t absolutely need
-Eat like the poor for Lent and donate grocery savings to charity
-Give up Facebook
-Only give my opinion if asked
-Say a Divine Mercy Chaplet daily
-Do the Stations of the Cross weekly or more
 
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