Post by Pacelli on Feb 6, 2024 10:47:58 GMT -5
I wrote this recently and thought I would post it here if it may help others. There are many other ideas, so this is not exhaustive, but it gives some possibilities to start thinking on this before Lent begins.
Lenten Possibilities
1. Sacrifices
Fast more than what the Church requires. If your health and state in life will not be impacted, consider much greater fasts, if not do less.
If you eat sweets, stop eating them, all of them.
If you drink soda, give it up.
If you sweeten your coffee or tea, stop doing so.
If you watch TV, give it up.
If you read Twitter, Facebook, etc,, give it up
If you play video games, give them up.
If you read the news, stop reading it.
If you drink alcohol, wine, beer, spirits, give it up.
If you smoke, give it up.
If you do any other sort of recreational drug, stop doing it.
If you drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages, cut back or give it up.
If you are inclined easily to anger or envy, resolve to fight these thoughts, by praying more for grace and when tempted resist more strongly. The best way to fight envy is just to resolve to always be happy for anything that others have, and that practice alone will beat it.
If you are tempted by lust, fast more, do penance, pray more, avoid all occasions on the internet and everywhere else that may tempt you.
If you are tempted by pride, examine yourself constantly, as pride hides itself, and when people correct you who may see it in you when you don't, rather than defend yourself to them verbally or in your mind, listen and think on it.
If you are tempted by gluttony, fast more, and give up what pleases your taste.
If you are tempted with sloth, remain diligent. Stop sitting around wasting time or indulging yourself with selfish pastimes, internet, tv, video games, sitting idle, etc. At a minimum, make sure you're doing your daily duties and beyond that pray, read, get to mass, etc.
2. Good works
Get to mass more frequently, every day if possible
Confess extra during Lent.
Make regular or daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, if possible.
Resolve to begin make a habit of doing the first Friday and first Saturday devotions, beginning in Lent, and then with this good habit, keep going through the rest of the year.
Resolve to pray the Rosary every day, and if you already do that, try to increase to the whole Rosary daily, all 15 decades
Have masses said for family, friends, co-workers and others, spending your money on stipends.
Donate extra money for good works or maybe give money to a family or person in need.
Do more spiritual reading. There are so many books to pick from, and many are free and available online.
Read more on the Faith
Consider learning the Breviary, the official prayer of the Church, and start praying it daily during Lent.
Consider going on retreat if you are able.
If you don't use holy water every day, start blessing yourself daily, or even many times a day.
If you don't look at the crucifix every day, start looking at it, and reflecting and thinking about Our Lord and what He did for all of us, including you.
If you don't light blessed candles, most especially the ones blessed during Candlemas, consider lighting a candle regularly during lent in your home.
Resolve to avail yourself of all other sacramentals
Fight complacency and spiritual sloth. Change and become better this Lent with the goal of being a different and better Catholic by the end of it.
Consider the fact that you do not know if this Lent will be your last, so make it count.
Lenten Possibilities
1. Sacrifices
Fast more than what the Church requires. If your health and state in life will not be impacted, consider much greater fasts, if not do less.
If you eat sweets, stop eating them, all of them.
If you drink soda, give it up.
If you sweeten your coffee or tea, stop doing so.
If you watch TV, give it up.
If you read Twitter, Facebook, etc,, give it up
If you play video games, give them up.
If you read the news, stop reading it.
If you drink alcohol, wine, beer, spirits, give it up.
If you smoke, give it up.
If you do any other sort of recreational drug, stop doing it.
If you drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages, cut back or give it up.
If you are inclined easily to anger or envy, resolve to fight these thoughts, by praying more for grace and when tempted resist more strongly. The best way to fight envy is just to resolve to always be happy for anything that others have, and that practice alone will beat it.
If you are tempted by lust, fast more, do penance, pray more, avoid all occasions on the internet and everywhere else that may tempt you.
If you are tempted by pride, examine yourself constantly, as pride hides itself, and when people correct you who may see it in you when you don't, rather than defend yourself to them verbally or in your mind, listen and think on it.
If you are tempted by gluttony, fast more, and give up what pleases your taste.
If you are tempted with sloth, remain diligent. Stop sitting around wasting time or indulging yourself with selfish pastimes, internet, tv, video games, sitting idle, etc. At a minimum, make sure you're doing your daily duties and beyond that pray, read, get to mass, etc.
2. Good works
Get to mass more frequently, every day if possible
Confess extra during Lent.
Make regular or daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, if possible.
Resolve to begin make a habit of doing the first Friday and first Saturday devotions, beginning in Lent, and then with this good habit, keep going through the rest of the year.
Resolve to pray the Rosary every day, and if you already do that, try to increase to the whole Rosary daily, all 15 decades
Have masses said for family, friends, co-workers and others, spending your money on stipends.
Donate extra money for good works or maybe give money to a family or person in need.
Do more spiritual reading. There are so many books to pick from, and many are free and available online.
Read more on the Faith
Consider learning the Breviary, the official prayer of the Church, and start praying it daily during Lent.
Consider going on retreat if you are able.
If you don't use holy water every day, start blessing yourself daily, or even many times a day.
If you don't look at the crucifix every day, start looking at it, and reflecting and thinking about Our Lord and what He did for all of us, including you.
If you don't light blessed candles, most especially the ones blessed during Candlemas, consider lighting a candle regularly during lent in your home.
Resolve to avail yourself of all other sacramentals
Fight complacency and spiritual sloth. Change and become better this Lent with the goal of being a different and better Catholic by the end of it.
Consider the fact that you do not know if this Lent will be your last, so make it count.