Lent

[Caedmon]

Could I "take on" a small group meeting every Wednesday? hehe...

We are meeting every Wednesday night to talk about our journey. Does that count?

 

[Loki]

When I was in second grade I said I'd give up reading for Lent, as I really enjoyed reading and figured that'd be a proper way to do Lent. The teacher said that wasn't appropriate and I should do something instead. So I have tried to take a more proactive route since then. This year I hope to get into a workout schedule and cut out snacking.

 

[ZooMom]

Today at 10:39 PM humblejoe said this in Post #61 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=686249#post686249)

Could I "take on" a small group meeting every Wednesday? hehe...

We are meeting every Wednesday night to talk about our journey. Does that count?

Sure. Does it require a sacrifice or discipline on your part? One that you might not ordinarily make? Do you hope to continue in the good it produces even after Lent? Perhaps after you are all Confirmed, you could continue your group meetings as a bible study or extended faith formation. You could all volunteer as a group at your local shelters or prisons or soup kitchens, and then use your meeting time to discuss how you are applying your faith journey.


Peace be with you.

 

[ZooMom]

Today at 10:41 PM Loki said this in Post #62 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=686253#post686253)

When I was in second grade I said I'd give up reading for Lent, as I really enjoyed reading and figured that'd be a proper way to do Lent. The teacher said that wasn't appropriate and I should do something instead.

 

[chelcb]

Today at 07:27 PM humblejoe said this in Post #57

Ok, what are you supposed to give up for Lent? Is it something that's a sin, or is it something that's not a sin, but something you like?

 

Remember Joe, The focus is not on what you have given up, the focus is on the interior. Your sacrafice is not a will power thing to see if you can make it through the 6 weeks.

For years I thought that was all there was to it. But I later found that it is supposed bring you closer to Jesus. Think of it as a marriage between two people. You are sacraficing as a gesture towards your beloved in order to have a deeper relationship.

Also working on imperfections is something we should do all year round. Lent is a good start at getting into this practice of perfecting the soul. Self denile is a good way we can strengthen the will to resist temptaions to sin or to brake sinful habbits.

I hope some of these hints help you out to make lent very meaningful for you.

 

[chelcb]

Has anybody else heard that Sundays are a "free day"?

 

[ZooMom]

Sundays are exempt from fasting. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it has to do with Sunday being observed as the Lord's Day (Resurrection) and is therefore a perpetual 'feast day'. No intentional suffering on Sundays.

 

[Caedmon]

Today at 09:58 PM ZooMom said this in Post #63 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=686299#post686299)

Sure. Does it require a sacrifice or discipline on your part? One that you might not ordinarily make? Do you hope to continue in the good it produces even after Lent? Perhaps after you are all Confirmed, you could continue your group meetings as a bible study or extended faith formation. You could all volunteer as a group at your local shelters or prisons or soup kitchens, and then use your meeting time to discuss how you are applying your faith journey.

Yeah, it takes a little sacrifice. To start off, I am going to church Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week, Monday for RCIA, Tuesday for Ash Wednesday, and Wednesday for small group. BTW, small group is not just RCIA, it's people from the whole parish. And I don't know if I'll get confirmed this time, but I like to do this stuff anyway.

 

[sklippstein]

Yesterday at 11:48 PM humblejoe said this in Post #68

Yeah, it takes a little sacrifice. To start off, I am going to church Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week, Monday for RCIA, Tuesday for Ash Wednesday, and Wednesday for small group. BTW, small group is not just RCIA, it's people from the whole parish. And I don't know if I'll get confirmed this time, but I like to do this stuff anyway.

 

Joe........Tuesday for ashes?  My church is doing ashes on Wednesday only......how come urs is doing it on Tuesday?

 

[Theresa]

I think that Lent is 40 days long but it actually works out to 47 days before Easter because the seven Sundays are free days, I think, you'd have to do the math.

Theresa

 

[Caedmon]

Today at 07:59 AM sklippstein said this in Post #69 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=686905#post686905)

 

Joe........Tuesday for ashes?  My church is doing ashes on Wednesday only......how come urs is doing it on Tuesday?

We don't have a resident priest so we have to take what we can get.

 

[chelcb]

You can go to another parish for wens service can't you?

 

[Caedmon]

Today at 04:45 PM chelcb said this in Post #72 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=687966#post687966)

You can go to another parish for wens service can't you?

I am in another city during the day on Wednesday, but I don't know where the church is there. I go 8, 9, 10, 11, 1 on MWF, and I'm usually dog tired, so I probably wouldn't be wanting to search all over the city that afternoon. Plus I like our little parish. It's where I've been going to inquiry and RCIA, and I take pride in it. I'm going to go there Tuesday night for the ashes, and let them stay for Wednesday. (Don't worry, I'm taking a good shower Tuesday night before the service and freshening up Wednesday morning. )

 

[sklippstein]

ok Joe, thanks for the explanation.....i was wondering how they were doing Ash Wednesday on Tuesday!

 

[Wolseley]

Well, I figured it out.

I'm giving up time for Lent this year.......enough time out of each day to do a five-decade Rosary.

(Fifteen if I have time, which probably won't happen with a 2-year old in the house, and at least one if I'm rushed....but five is my daily target.)

Keep me in your prayers that I'll be able to keep at it.

 

[ZooMom]

God bless you, Wols! That's great! I will certainly pray for you. I usually pray my Rosary at night, after the kids have gone to bed. I even go outside if it is nice. It is so peaceful. The quality of the quiet is so different outside than inside.

Peace be with you!

 

[Theresa]

Praying the Rosary every day seems so simple. I hope I can get to mine everyday too.

Theresa

 

[Malachi383]

Sklipp - dont you have Rice Boxes? We have had those since I was little during lent that were handed out at church for the very purpose you were thinking of.

Stormy - some protestant denominations have held onto this aspect of Church practice. I look forward to Lent, a time in which I can focus more on Christ and His passion, as well as His grace and His mercy by denying myself. That is what sacrifice is about. Lent is a time where we go with Christ into the desert, and by sacrificing something, we are in a way creating some more space in our lives, and making it easier for Christ to speak to us (Hosea 2:16 comes to mind). I have friends who arent Catholic who give something up for Lent.

Also, it is becoming more and more a practice to not only give something up, but also take something on. I think your idea is admirable, I would like to offer an extension of it - maybe you could fast one day a week, or give something up, and offer up any "suffering" or "struggles" that may result from this to Christ as apart of what you are taking on - the idea of loving your husband. It is something we Catholics call redemptive suffering, and is based upon passages such as Col 1:24, 1 Cor 3:9, Rom 8:17. Christ's sacrifice completed the availability of salvation for all of mankind, but we must cooperate with this grace. St. Paul tells us that we do this through our own sufferings and sacrifices (when done rightly). "He suffered for all of us, so we must suffer with Him for all."

I hope and pray that this helps you better understand not only Lent, but also the entire point of sacrifice and suffering. You and your husband will be in my prayers.

Wols - Senior year of high school, a large group of us from the youth group all went to the 8 AM morning mass so that we could have our ashes on for the whole day.  I arrive in math, my last class of the day, and am asked, "Why are you wearing a plus sign on your forehead? Are you trying to kiss up to the teacher?"

God bless

 

[Malachi383]

Forgot my input on the idea of Sunday not being apart of Lent and therefore not counting for the sacrifices:

It is technically correct, although in the spirit of Lent, many still continue their Lenten fasts. Otherwise, if you see it as a "break," it can kind of ruin the entire point of Lent. Instead of looking forward to Easter, you are looking forward to Sunday. Also, when Christ went into the desert, did He get breaks? I dont know - technically it doesnt count, but I think the Lenten observences should still be observed on Sundays to keep the true spirit of Lent in tact.

If I am correct, the reason that strictly speaking you can break your fast on Sundays is because it is the 8th day, existing out of time. It represents Christ rising on the 8th day. The 8th day was not apart of the 7 days of Creation because it exists outside of it. It is considered the eternal day, and an eternal number.

God bless

 

[KC Catholic]

I am setting aside time each day to do the rosary, daily readings and our bible study on James.

Check what else I'll be doing once it arrives from Italy!

It's been blessed by the pope!