What do you plan to do during Lent?

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I am completing my RCIA journey and will be entering the Catholic church this Easter Vigil so I have been really thinking about what to do this year for Lent. Last year I gave up chocolate. I know that is small but I am a choco-holic and I did learn and grow from that experience. But this year I really want to do something deeper and more meaningful as I have a much better understanding of the Lenten season now.

I really enjoyed reading what others are doing and it is helping me to discern what I will be doing. I think I will be saying my rosary daily and I want to go to Mass more often during the week as well. I also think I will not be spending as much time at home on the computer and watching TV and spend that time engaging more with my family and reading scripture or religious literature. Any good suggestions on those?

My parish priest gave our RCIA group a wonderful daily devotional which I want to do every morning to start my Lenten day everyday.

God Bless!
 
domandcarols said:
Sleep on the floor? 😦
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Ha! Well, we’ll see how that goes. I plan to do it most nights, but if my back is bothering me I’ll stop for a night or two, or perhaps but a blanket under me so my vertabre don’t snap in the middle of the night. 😛

My sister told me my Lent is too extreme, but I disagree. If Jesus sacrificed for me, I can sacrifice for him. What better way to do that than to give up common earthly pleasures? Besides, if I do these things, I will no longer take what Jesus gave me for granted. I’ll probably want to kill myself on the first day when I don’t have a pop, though. 😛
 
I am getting involved with the 40 Days for Life in my area. If there is one in your area, you should get involved too.
 
For me, obviously no meat on Friday, which being a revert is going to be extremely hard. My Parish is going to offer daily Mass on Tuesday & Friday evening’s during Lent, which I’ll try to attend and maybe even attend Thursday daily Mass which is in the evening of a neighboring Parish as well. I try to watch daily Mass at 6pm on EWTN, but I just don’t get anything out of it. In addition, I’ll continue to silently pray the rosary at work when it airs on the local Catholic radio station as well as be making a donation to a charity.

I’m not sure about giving anything up.
 
I plan to commit to 30 mins. of prayer daily, I usually go to daily Mass a few times a week, but I am going to commit to going everyday. I don’t usually watch much TV, but during Lent I commit to only watching EWTN. I also plan to try to cultivate a deeper relationship with our Lady and in turn, a deeper relationship with our Lord.
 
Raise money for Catholic Relief Services, give up secular music, and fast for the full 40 days! I know I dong have to fast the full 40 days… or considering my age fast period-but I want to. 🙂 My mom is proud of me.
 
garn9173 said:
For me, obviously no meat on Friday, which being a revert is going to be extremely hard. My Parish is going to offer daily Mass on Tuesday & Friday evening’s during Lent, which I’ll try to attend and maybe even attend Thursday daily Mass which is in the evening of a neighboring Parish as well. I try to watch daily Mass at 6pm on EWTN, but I just don’t get anything out of it. In addition, I’ll continue to silently pray the rosary at work when it airs on the local Catholic radio station as well as be making a donation to a charity.

I’m not sure about giving anything up.
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Mass is not about “getting something out of it”, but rather, giving something into it. This is something many Protestants fail with, and especially something reverts to the Catholic faith fail with. They’re used to going to “get something out of it” when it fact, that’s not what the Mass is about at all.
 
I plan on giving up sugar and really sticking to the gluten-free, dairy-free diet that I am supposed to maintain. I also hope to be able to do a total fast on Good Friday (just depends on how I am doing physically that I day; I get sick a lot). I wish I could go to church more than twice a week, but we don’t have more services than that. Would it be all right if I went to Mass? Would that offend anyone?

I’m also planning to finish a Bible study on the Book of James that I just started.
 
I abstain every Friday of the year so that won’t really be too difficult. The onyl problem is that all the other Catholics will be going to my favorite fish places and slowing service down! 😉

In addition to my daily rosary, I plan on praying a second rosary or (probably) the Divine Mercy Chaplet, attend either mass or 30 minutes of adoration everyday and going to the Stations at least once a week.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Ha! Well, we’ll see how that goes. I plan to do it most nights, but if my back is bothering me I’ll stop for a night or two, or perhaps but a blanket under me so my vertabre don’t snap in the middle of the night. 😛

My sister told me my Lent is too extreme, but I disagree. If Jesus sacrificed for me, I can sacrifice for him. What better way to do that than to give up common earthly pleasures? Besides, if I do these things, I will no longer take what Jesus gave me for granted. I’ll probably want to kill myself on the first day when I don’t have a pop, though. 😛
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That’s awesome, God bless you! Now you’re giving me ideas. 🙂
 
I will only drink my morning coffee…and refrain for the rest of the day. :bigyikes: That is going to be so difficult as I love to drink coffee all day. I will also give up chocolate this year. I usually don’t but since I enjoy it, I thought I’d throw it in there.

Kinda stinks that my birthday falls on a Friday during lent. I always enjoy celebrating with lots of cake and ice-cream!
 
dailey said:
I will only drink my morning coffee…and refrain for the rest of the day. :bigyikes: That is going to be so difficult as I love to drink coffee all day. I will also give up chocolate this year. I usually don’t but since I enjoy it, I thought I’d throw it in there.

Kinda stinks that my birthday falls on a Friday during lent. I always enjoy celebrating with lots of cake and ice-cream!
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I gave up coffee one year and the girls in the office begged me never to do it again.:whacky:
 
garn9173 said:
For me, obviously no meat on Friday, which being a revert is going to be extremely hard. My Parish is going to offer daily Mass on Tuesday & Friday evening’s during Lent, which I’ll try to attend and maybe even attend Thursday daily Mass which is in the evening of a neighboring Parish as well. I try to watch daily Mass at 6pm on EWTN, but I just don’t get anything out of it. In addition, I’ll continue to silently pray the rosary at work when it airs on the local Catholic radio station as well as be making a donation to a charity.

I’m not sure about giving anything up.
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Hmm, looks to me like you are giving up some time! That’s cool! As for not getting anything out of Mass on EWTN - I don’t either except it is sometimes a nice relief from all the garbage on TV. Of course there is the fact that we can participate, even remotely, (no not that remote). I think it has to do though, with not really being present during the sacrifice of the Mass. I do think we are at Mass to "get something out of it: as opposed to the other poster. We “get” to be in the real presence of Jesus, we often dwell with him a bit after communion, there is a sense of community as we participate in the mass. And through the readings and process of the Mass, we deepen our relationship with Christ.

Good Lent to you!
 
I will pray the penitential psalms every day, read the Didache (a section every day), give up my daily Starbucks coffee and sweets.

I’m looking forward to Lent. The 2 previous ones were a disaster for me so I really need this like a spiritual boot camp.
 
Ohana said:
Hmm, looks to me like you are giving up some time! That’s cool! As for not getting anything out of Mass on EWTN - I don’t either except it is sometimes a nice relief from all the garbage on TV. Of course there is the fact that we can participate, even remotely, (no not that remote). I think it has to do though, with not really being present during the sacrifice of the Mass. I do think we are at Mass to "get something out of it: as opposed to the other poster. We “get” to be in the real presence of Jesus, we often dwell with him a bit after communion, there is a sense of community as we participate in the mass. And through the readings and process of the Mass, we deepen our relationship with Christ.

Good Lent to you!
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Actually, what I said is correct. What I said was taught to me by several Priests. It’s not about getting something out of the homily, or socializing with other people, it’s about adoring our Lord in his magnificent presence, and simply giving him what he rightly deserves. It is not about getting something out of it, but giving something into it. Simply being in his presence and receiving him sacramentally is more than what we deserve, and it’s a gift we get every week. May we never take it for granted.
 
I’m still in my rough draft version of my plans for Lent but this is what I am planning on doing thus far:

Give up M&M’s (except for Sundays)

Read a couple of verses or chapters of the New Testament

Book study at my Church

and

limit my pop intake - not drink as much pop as I do now

(And of course not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays…and not eat in between meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday)

As I said, this is the rough draft of what I will most likely do unless I can think of something else to do that would better or increase my faith. Last year I tried to do too much and instead ended up failing most of the things I set out to do,😦 so I am definately trying NOT to repeat last year’s mistake…
 
In addition to what is required I am going to try and get to mass every day, or if that’s not possible, at least spend some time with the Lord before the Tabernacle.

Switch from my extra large coffee down to the small as I care enough about my work colleagues not to completely drop it. I’ll also have only one a day.

Go to confession weekly.
 
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