"...when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
-- Matthew 6:16-18
Prayer — There are many possible devotions: The Liturgy of the Hours, The Stations of the Cross or spending an extra hour in the Adoration Chapel, for example. What is probably easiest for us is to prepare for the Liturgy of the Word for each Sunday by reading ahead and participating in a1 group to learn more about that liturgy as well as the Eucharist. Couples can read the Readings and discuss them at home. So can families. Get together with friends some evening during the week and read and discuss the readings for the next Sunday in the comfort of your home.
Fasting — Fasting is required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting isn’t necessarily a diet. How about fasting from television viewing during Lent as a family? Or fasting from your favorite food? Fasting from gossip or complaining? The choice is yours.
Almsgiving — We practice living as Christ commanded. Believers must continually be invited to “all the works of charity, piety, and the apostolate. For all these works make it clear that Christ’s faithful, though not of this world, are to be the light of the world…” “Love one another as he has loved us.”
Participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation — Check to see when your Penance Service is scheduled and take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation..
The Best Kind of Fasting
Conversion Through Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving [Lent]
Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Fast-Family observance Lenten season [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Lenten Fasting or Feasting? [Catholic Caucus]
THE TRUE NATURE OF FASTING (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
The Three Practices of Lent: Praying, Fasting. Almsgiving
Lent: A Time to Fast >From Media and Criticism Says President of Pontifical Liturgical Institute
Give it up (making a Lenten sacrifice)
The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence
Lent and Fasting
I don’t think it’s an either/or kind of thing. Or that fasting is a “distraction.”
Christ set the example of giving something up with the 40 days in the Wilderness. And John the Baptist also set an example of how to prepare for the coming of the Savior. And giving up meat on Fridays, to honor the day on which Christ was crucified, was a practice that came into the Church very early.
But it would also be a good time to check out your prayer life, or to make extra visits to church, or to schedule daily Bible readings.
If giving up chocolate, coffee, bread or alcohol could make reparations for the sins of world, why did Jesus have to die on the cross? I always suspected the point of "penance" even as a Catholic kid when I gave up bubblegum for Lent. It used to really irk me a little when saying a few Hail Marys and Our Fathers would be my penance at confession. As I hurriedly said them I often wondered what kind of God would be satisfied by saying mere words in exchange for forgiveness. Of course, I didn't understand the whole purpose of the cross until I came to saving faith in Jesus Christ and left the religion of my birth.
I think, far too often, we forget that there is NOTHING we can do to pay for our own sins much less those of the whole world. Christ's sacrifice was "once for all" and His blood made atonement for the sins of the world. We are given forgiveness by God's grace through faith in Christ and, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are enabled to walk in newness of life - a life that brings honor and glory to God because it operates by faith. When we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and we are forgiven and cleansed when we confess (come clean, name it as HE names it) to Him. Giving up pleasures in our lives in order to somehow appease the anger of God over sin, kinda makes a mockery of the TRUE cost of sin - the blood of the only begotten Son of God.
I will pray for more eyes to be opened to the truth of the gospel of grace this Lenten season.
thanks for the reminder...
I give up FR for Lent. Pure torture. :-)
It also brings the reality of its time sequence in scripture as it is read. Each week and daily in the services we come closer to the anniversary of the greatest act of all mankind. It is special. I stay longer in prayer at the chapel at these times. It never feels like something cheap like mere words with me.
There are too many pharisaical acts on these threads by us all. I think we all should be fasting however one titles it. If anything is blocking us it is the spirit of the air. Ephesians 6:12
Matthew 17:21 "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the merits of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy Beloved Son and my Divine Redeemer, for all my relations, friends and enemies, for the poor, the sick, and those in tribulation, and for all those for whom Thou willest I should pray, or knowest that I ought to pray.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Blessed and praised forevermore be Jesus Who hath saved us by His Precious Blood!
Also Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy Beloved Son and my Redeemer, for all those who shall this day pass to another life, that Thou mayest preserve them from the pains of Hell and admit them the more readily to the possession of Thy glory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Blessed and praised forevermore be Jesus Who hath saved us by His Precious Blood!
Only Jesus already did it, has done it, and will do it again when I see his face and he knows me.
Yes it just took one sacrifice but God does not do human time.
THIS is my time of dying, and it is not marked on a church calendar.
Psalm 22
Isaiah 53