what are you giving up for Lent?

[anamchara]

Hello everyone, I was just curious as to what everyone has decided to give up this year. I am actually struggling with coming up with something for some reason.

One of things I’m doing is devoting a more indepth study on the Saints durning lent. There life and struggles. I feel I am weak in this area and want to improve. Does anyone have a good book they can recommend that’s fairly easy to read?

Is anyone else doing anything special as far as devotions or anything?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I was toying with the idea of old Eastern Rite-style fasting, but wonder if that includes Coke Zero.

All my plans aren’t quite together yet. I have a theme, based on the Old Testament readings at Mass from the past couple weeks: I Can’t Hide From God.

I have one of the two books, Lord Have Mercy by Scott Hahn.

We are going to attempt to go to Mass as a family at least one weekday (the little one thought one Mass besides Sundays during Lent would be good- but no).

And I suppose we adults shall haul the swear jar out of its dusty corner and throw in money for each nasty word.

 

[cheeto1]

Hello everyone, I was just curious as to what everyone has decided to give up this year. I am actually struggling with coming up with something for some reason.

One of things I’m doing is devoting a more indepth study on the Saints durning lent. There life and struggles. I feel I am weak in this area and want to improve. Does anyone have a good book they can recommend that’s fairly easy to read?

Is anyone else doing anything special as far as devotions or anything?

You’ve really convinced me. I know there are thousands
of saints. I think I’ll go to a saint website and choose a
different saint each day to make a little report about.
Just a brief summary and a little picture, not too hard, to
make sure I actually do it. I love your idea of focusing on
saints for lent, they are our heroes!

I have an idea of what to give up for lent, but this year I
came down with the idea that maybe we’re not supposed
to tell anyone. Does anyone else feel like this?

 

[salvereginadude]

Besides no meat on Fridays I’m going to be giving up soda and some other addictions which have been hindering my development…such as too much indulgence on sweets, food, that kind of thing. Also, I’m going to try to purify and purge myself spiritually as much as I can because this is the last Lent I’ll have to go through before being Catholic! I’m being received at the Easter Vigil and I can’t wait!

 

[anamchara]

And I suppose we adults shall haul the swear jar out of its dusty corner and throw in money for each nasty word.

What a great idea!

I don’t know what an old Eastern Rite-style fasting would be but it sounds interesting.

 

[Pani_Rose]

I was toying with the idea of old Eastern Rite-style fasting, but wonder if that includes Coke Zero.

All my plans aren’t quite together yet. I have a theme, based on the Old Testament readings at Mass from the past couple weeks: I Can’t Hide From God.

I have one of the two books, Lord Have Mercy by Scott Hahn.

We are going to attempt to go to Mass as a family at least one weekday (the little one thought one Mass besides Sundays during Lent would be good- but no).

And I suppose we adults shall haul the swear jar out of its dusty corner and throw in money for each nasty word.

You can have all the Coke Zero you want

 

[anamchara]

You’ve really convinced me. I know there are thousands
of saints. I think I’ll go to a saint website and choose a
different saint each day to make a little report about.
Just a brief summary and a little picture, not too hard, to
make sure I actually do it. I love your idea of focusing on
saints for lent, they are our heroes!

I have an idea of what to give up for lent, but this year I
came down with the idea that maybe we’re not supposed
to tell anyone. Does anyone else feel like this?

I like your idea about doing a saint for every day and doing like a report on one. That helps keep you focused. I was thinking about picking a few then reading a few books but your idea is a good one.

Sometimes I think we are better off not telling anyone, there really isn’t any need to. You bring up a good point. Maybe some feel it’s best not to and I can’t blame them. There’s something to be said about keeping still and quiet about the whole thing.

 

[bighodag]

I’m giving up those sins that keep me from God.

The best sermon I ever received on Ash Wednesday was given at the Catholic Campus Ministry at my local public university in 2006. The priest stated that we should give up that which is keeping us from Christ.

Chances are great that sodas, candy, and hamburgers are not a barrier between us and Christ. Let’s search our souls and give up that which is truely keeping us from being fully in communion with Christ.

Lent is about falling in love with Christ. Let’s all fall in love together…

Pax Christi.

 

[anamchara]

I’m giving up those sins that keep me from God.

The best sermon I ever received on Ash Wednesday was given at the Catholic Campus Ministry at my local public university in 2006. The priest stated that we should give up that which is keeping us from Christ.

Chances are great that sodas, candy, and hamburgers are not a barrier between us and Christ. Let’s search our souls and give up that which is truely keeping us from being fully in communion with Christ.

Lent is about falling in love with Christ. Let’s all fall in love together…

Pax Christi.

Then this is a very special and exciting time for you. I’ll never forget the Easter Vigil I became a Catholic.

I like the message the priest gave you, it makes perfect sense and I’m glad you shared it.

 

[Rebecca_New]

Sweets, I am also going to make a conscious effort to give things up each day. Remember, the more you do during Lent the more Easter joy you will find.

 

[Zirconia]

What a great idea!

I don’t know what an old Eastern Rite-style fasting would be but it sounds interesting.

From what I’ve heard of it, you abstain from meat, fish, anything else with a backbone, eggs, milk, cheese, wine, and (olive) oil. But wine and oil are allowed on Sundays, and if I recall correctly, fish is permissible on the Feast of the Annunciation, if it falls during Lent, and Palm Sunday.

I’ve seen arguments over whether shell-fish are permissible, and whether the rules are to give up only olive oil or (by extension) all cooking oil…

Zirconia

 

[CHCatholic]

No meat on Fridays for me
No computer on weekdays unless for school, limited times on weekends.
No junk food from cafeteria, vending machine, including no pop,

 

[puzzleannie]

sleep and free time, this is my busiest time of the year, 14 catechumens, 4 candidates, 90 first communions, 74 confirmations, rites of lent, parent sacramental meetings, retreats and all the other prerequisites. good night, I have to be at church at 6:45 am to get teens on the bus for their retreat.

 

[Kevin42]

sleep and free time, this is my busiest time of the year, 14 catechumens, 4 candidates, 90 first communions, 74 confirmations, rites of lent, parent sacramental meetings, retreats and all the other prerequisites. good night, I have to be at church at 6:45 am to get teens on the bus for their retreat.

Peace be with you and good luck!

 

[Andruschak]

Is anyone else doing anything special as far as devotions or anything?

The traditional Lenten Fast. Fast according to Church rules all days of Lent except Sundays and Solemnities. Two meals a day, dinner and supper. Meat or fish at dinner only. Abstain on Friday. (Also Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday as part of a seperate rule of life.) Non-fat Milk and juices as needed to prevent weakness. Envy my cats, who are not fasting.

 

[truthsilence]

I’m going to take the opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross . I haven’t done that yet, and I’ve been a Catholic for almost a year now.

Last year during Lent, there was so much happening with my conversion that I didn’t realize the significance and beauty of the season. It wasn’t until Holy Week, that I came to really appreciate what I was missing out on.

I just want to try and make it more of a simple time, a time of deeper reflection and prayer. I’ll probably spend less time on the internet.

I really loved what bighodag said.

Peace to all of you!!!

 

[Mary_Henley]

For several years now we (my family and I) have had the tradition of the Advent Crib and straw, representing our sacrifices. About fifteen years ago I wanted something similar for our kids for Lent. I came up with the idea of a chalice filled with red crystal beads to represent the drops of Christ Precious Blood shed for us. Instead of putting anything into the chalice as we would the crib we take a bead out each time we offer something to the Lord. We take it out to symbolize that we have been washed in His blood…each drop is infinitely Holy…infinitely Powerful…infinitely Redemptive. At the end of Lent sometimes we stand shamefaced at all the Precious Drops left unused.

 

[anamchara]

These are all great everyone. I’ve decided to give up all fast food and sweets. I’m going to attend all the stations of the cross this year, pray the rosary daily even if I can make at least one or two decades. Scripture reading daily and the study of the saints. The idea of a saint a day is a good one

And all the other regular stuff, no meat on Fridays etc. I think eating simple meals and avoiding over stuffing durning lent is a good plan.

 

[anamchara]

For several years now we (my family and I) have had the tradition of the Advent Crib and straw, representing our sacrifices. About fifteen years ago I wanted something similar for our kids for Lent. I came up with the idea of a chalice filled with red crystal beads to represent the drops of Christ Precious Blood shed for us. Instead of putting anything into the chalice as we would the crib we take a bead out each time we offer something to the Lord. We take it out to symbolize that we have been washed in His blood…each drop is infinitely Holy…infinitely Powerful…infinitely Redemptive. At the end of Lent sometimes we stand shamefaced at all the Precious Drops left unused.

What a very beautiful tradition Mary. What kind of things do you offer to the our Lord? Would this be charity works? Or any kind of sacrifice? I really like this idea, how profound.

We collect all our coins through out the year and then give that up durning lent. Our parish has a really big coin collector.

 

[anamchara]

sleep and free time, this is my busiest time of the year, 14 catechumens, 4 candidates, 90 first communions, 74 confirmations, rites of lent, parent sacramental meetings, retreats and all the other prerequisites. good night, I have to be at church at 6:45 am to get teens on the bus for their retreat.

wow annie, I hope you have time for your spiritual health I would imagine what you do is very rewarding. God bless you for all your hard work.