Posted on 02/07/2013 9:58:27 AM PST by Alex Murphy
In the paper this week we asked well-known Catholics what they plan to do for Lent. Frank Cottrell Boyce, writer of the Olympic opening ceremony, is giving up tea and coffee; Bishop Alan Hopes will give up bread; and Stuart Reid will stop reading blogs that make him angry. Ann Widdecombe is abstaining from every kind of drink except water. Sister Wendy Beckett, however, won’t be giving up anything. “During Lent I do nothing extra,” she says. “After all, it is surely a time less for ‘giving up’ and more for ‘looking up’: up to Jesus on the Cross.”
Does she have a point – does giving things up merely distract from what is important? Can it turn into a health drive, or a way of losing weight, rather than helping us prepare for Holy Week and Easter? Would it be better, perhaps, to go to Mass more, or spend time reading great spiritual works?
On the other hand, many saints and Church Fathers attest to the spiritual effectiveness of penance. It keeps our focus on God; it is reparation for our sins and the sins of the world.
So, should Lent be about giving things up? Or is that a distraction?
It allows you to learn to "hold things loosely, hold God tightly".
Unless you practice it you might not be able to do it when the time comes that you MUST give things up.
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..
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**Lent or it’s concept is never mentioned in Scripture**
Christ fasting for 40 Days in the Wilderness?
What kind of a Bible do you have anyway?
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I do the Daily Readings, prayer requests, Saint of the Day, seasonal things and apologetics/ catechetics/prayer.
There are two Catholic ping lists. NYer usually posts news stories. Please contact her if you want to be on that list also.
Are you a Catholic? Would you like to be on the Catholic Ping List?
I do the Daily Readings, prayer requests, Saint of the Day, seasonal things and apologetics/ catechetics/prayer.
There are two Catholic ping lists. NYer usually posts news stories. Please contact her if you want to be on that list also.
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THE TRUE NATURE OF FASTING (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
The Three Practices of Lent: Praying, Fasting. Almsgiving
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Give it up (making a Lenten sacrifice)
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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.
Well said!
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But this is the one to whom I will look favorably: to the one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my message. (Isaiah 66:2)
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)
That's helpful, thanks. This year I'm trying to identify one specific thing that separates me from God the most and the most often. And I'm trying to find one simple new thing that will remind me of God's presence.
The second I think I have found. But the first... well, I'm hoping that at least the time in examination is well spent. :)
thanks for the reminder...
Now there's the perfect excuse; I'm gonna pig out and get drunk!
:)
But, seriously, where on earth did you get the idea that Lent was to make reparations for the sins of the world?
From the article of this thread. Are you saying you disagree that "penances" can make reparation for sins? Glad to hear it!
Surely you know better, yes?
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!
Amen!
Thank you and have a blessed Lent.
I love Lent and find it an enrichment of faith and self sacrifice. Others may not agree but that's ok. For me its a time of reflection, fasting and the preparation for the holiest week of the year.
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