What to do for lent?

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angell1 said:
well, I’m not relaly on caf often enough to make it worthwhile to give up

is a daily rosary enough. I’m not too good at praying that, get distracted too easily. and I keep saying i’ll do it more but I just havn’et yet

I always feel like no matter what I do for lent, it’s not really enough. but I know that’s not really the point. maybe I will still fast from something as well. not sure what yet though
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I know what you mean. I have often felt that way, too. No matter how many things I give up or extra things I promise to do, it seems like it’s never enough.

I think sometimes the devil uses such feelings to get us to the point where we take on so many penances that we overwhelm ourselves and wind up doing nothing. It is then that I recall St. Therese’s “little way”. We don’t need to do great things. Just small things with great love.
 
Joe_5859 said:
I know what you mean. I have often felt that way, too. No matter how many things I give up or extra things I promise to do, it seems like it’s never enough.

I think sometimes the devil uses such feelings to get us to the point where we take on so many penances that we overwhelm ourselves and wind up doing nothing. It is then that I recall St. Therese’s “little way”. We don’t need to do great things. Just small things with great love.
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I think we have a habit of doing that to ourselves in all sorts of ways. Think about New Year’s resolutions. This year I’m going to stop smoking, lose 50 pounds, be totally organized, etc. etc. etc. We overwhelm ourselves and set goals we can’t possibly reach. And within a week we’ve thrown the resolutions out the window.

But if we went for smaller things – I’m going to substitute a salad for french fries and I’m going to take a walk around the block every day – we’d actually be a little better off than we were before and we’d be able to stick with it.

It’s the same with prayer and any other spiritual practice. Maybe something small like making the Sign of the Cross before you get out of bed every morning is doable and gets the day off to a good start. After a while that becomes a habit and maybe you can add something else like praying the morning offering or praying Lauds or something else that’s doable. And then when you look back you can see how much progress you’ve made. Actually, I think that’s one of the advantages of Lent – it’s long enough to get started with a practice and establish it as a habit. Whatever you choose to do doesn’t necessarily have to end at Easter.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I think we have a habit of doing that to ourselves in all sorts of ways. Think about New Year’s resolutions. This year I’m going to stop smoking, lose 50 pounds, be totally organized, etc. etc. etc. We overwhelm ourselves and set goals we can’t possibly reach. And within a week we’ve thrown the resolutions out the window.

But if we went for smaller things – I’m going to substitute a salad for french fries and I’m going to take a walk around the block every day – we’d actually be a little better off than we were before and we’d be able to stick with it.

It’s the same with prayer and any other spiritual practice. Maybe something small like making the Sign of the Cross before you get out of bed every morning is doable and gets the day off to a good start. After a while that becomes a habit and maybe you can add something else like praying the morning offering or praying Lauds or something else that’s doable. And then when you look back you can see how much progress you’ve made. Actually, I think that’s one of the advantages of Lent – it’s long enough to get started with a practice and establish it as a habit. Whatever you choose to do doesn’t necessarily have to end at Easter.
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👍 Well put.
 
Seriously though,
One of the best things a person can do is to piously pray the Stations of the Cross, whether weekly with your parish, or at home with a booklet or printout from the internet.
Reflecting on the Passion is a beautiful practice.
 
pianistclare said:
Seriously though,
One of the best things a person can do is to piously pray the Stations of the Cross, whether weekly with your parish, or at home with a booklet or printout from the internet.
Reflecting on the Passion is a beautiful practice.
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feastofsaints.com/waycrossfrancis.htm

The Way of the Cross, according to the method of Saint Francis of Assisi

Simply the best. Deeply moving. Motivation to put on a new heart. Spiritually enriching.
 
I am planning to:

Go to mass every day of Lent
Read New Testament every day for Lent
Give up Wine for Lent
Give up Chocolate for Lent
Give up Meat for Lent
Give up Sugar in my tea for Lent
 
Last year I gave up swearing for Lent, and as a way of reinforcing that I put a quarter in a jar every time I forgot.

Gave the money to charity for Easter.
 
One of my parish priests said he asked some children last year what they were giving up for Lent?

They said going to church!!! 😊
 
I have scheduled a “retreat” for myself during Lent:

At church every weekday morning: Rosary, Mass, and Morning Prayer
At home in the morning: Prayer and Spiritual Reading
At home in the afternoon: Chaplet of Mercy & Stations of the Cross (at church on Friday)
At home in the evening: Evening Prayer, Spiritual Reading (incl. Divine Intimacy), and Night Prayer
Weekly Confession and Adoration once or twice a week.
 
Mary_Ellen said:
I have scheduled a “retreat” for myself during Lent:

At church every weekday morning: Rosary, Mass, and Morning Prayer
At home in the morning: Prayer and Spiritual Reading
At home in the afternoon: Chaplet of Mercy & Stations of the Cross (at church on Friday)
At home in the evening: Evening Prayer, Spiritual Reading (incl. Divine Intimacy), and Night Prayer
Weekly Confession and Adoration once or twice a week.
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That is awesome
 
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