Lent

[cool2bCatholic]

I'm giving up the internet and artificial sweets (two of my favorite things). Also, I have a bad habit of eating when I'm not hungry so I think that I may give up eating between meals. Are Sundays really not "included" in Lent? That seems silly to me; it's not as much of a sacrifice if you can have a break from it! But I guess I just like challenges. I'm also going to go to the Stations of the Cross followed by Benediction every Friday night at St Frances Xavier...I've never done Stations of the Cross before, so I'm excited!
God bless and love you!
Angela

 

[Carrye]

Are Sundays really not "included" in Lent? That seems silly to me; it's not as much of a sacrifice if you can have a break from it!

Sundays are always solemnities (days of feasting) - during Lent and otherwise - so no, they are not "included" in Lent. One can choose to uphold his/her Lenten sacrifices on Sunday or not. Either way, the Church always feasts on Sunday.

 

[Paul S]

Sundays are part of the Lenten season, liturgically speaking, but they are never days of penance or fasting, since every Sunday is a little Easter, a celebration of the Resurrection. That's why Lent begins on Wednesday, to have 40 days of penance - six weeks (36 days) plus four extra days.

When fasting was required on all the days of Lent, Sundays were excluded. Whether you want to continue your Lenten sacrifice on Sundays is up to you.

The Stations of the Cross is a wonderful devotion, as we reflect on the crucifixion of Our Lord and our continued sins which put Him there, and we can ask Him to grant us the grace to be more like Him and less like us.

 

[cool2bCatholic]

Ah, ok, that makes a lot of sense-thanks for the explanations!
God bless you!
Angela

 

[Machiavelli]

When does Lent start, just out of interest?

 

[NDIrish]

Ash Wednesday...two days!

 

[Machiavelli]

Hmm, since I live in Australia, that means that it's actually tomorrow!

I'd have to say the internet, which might mean that I'm not on here for a while

Also, I hope that I don't find out after that commitment that I actually need the internet to do some aspect of my university subjects!

I could also say that I want to give up a certain sin which has been undermining my relationship with God - but I guess you're not meant to wait until Lent to do that.

 

[Credo]

What are you planning to give up for Lent?
Smoking for me.

Same here. And in it's place, I'm adding prayer time. I've fallen out of the habit of daily prayer in the morning and evening - I plan to get back into this. I think it will help me to kick the bad habit by getting back into the Divine habit of daily prayer.

JMJ

 

[xxRachaelxx]

I'm giving up bread - I'm alwaysssss eating toast

and I'm going to say a decade of the rosary every day

 

[LongingForLight]

- Start praying a Rosary Novena for my fiance's conversion (it will end the day before the wedding if I start tonight - I just decided to check and see how a Rosary Novena would fit into the days remaining, and it is so neat, I'm taking it as a sign

- My fiance and I will be trying to further the spiritual aspect of our relationship with a short nightly non-religion specific prayer session (he's agnostic, and feels dishonest praying to a Christian God he doesn't believe in, and I'll make the sign of the Cross to let God know my prayers are directed to Him) each night, and a longer session on Saturdays. Hopefully, this will give us both more of a focus on our spirituality and it's place in our life together.

Wish us luck!