Posted on 02/28/2014 5:22:32 AM PST by BlatherNaut
As we have and will continue to mention, Lent is coming. But it's now that we should all be preparing.
A traditional priest has put together the worksheet below for us to use (click for larger view and printing). It's simple, but it's a good tool to make our plans, to refer to throughout Lent, and to evaluate our progress when Lent ends.
Planning for Lent should be no different than planning for other things in life: plan, prepare, execute and evaluate! If we take the time to do it with our budgets, surely we should take the time to do it for our souls.
As always, consult your confessor or spiritual director.
(Excerpt) Read more at rorate-caeli.blogspot.com ...
Jesus said
LENT IT BE!
AND HIS FINAL JOURNEY BEGAN!
A good guide that should be in all parish bulletins, preached and given out in the pews.
Is there only one page to this?
I’ve practiced Lent the last two years, and look forward again to this year. Those of you in the Atlanta, GA area might consider attending one of the weekend silent retreats at St Ignatious House.
Thanks for sharing.....
Lent: Like Christmas-time for Pelagians!
Is it really “fasting” if you’re trying to lose weight anyway?
Fasting
Prayer
Almsgiving
The three practices of Lent.
Whoo Hoo!
That is true, but it didn’t answer my question.
Any suggestions for Lenten spiritual reading?
“Exposition of the Seven Penitential Psalms” by St. John Fisher
Excellent suggestion.
Thanks. “With God In Russia” by Fr. Walter Ciszek is also outstanding, although not precisely Lent-themed.
Yes, that's a great book. Also "He Leadeth Me" is very inspiring.
Yes, I have both.
I’d say it is. Fasting as part of a weight loss program is still fasting. I don’t think the goal of the fasting matters much. In fact I’d say it could fit into “point 1”(from the PDF Father prepared) as a desire to loose weight (regardless if the weight comes from overeating) is indeed an “Amendment of life”.
What I’d like to know is, does FReeping fall into the category of “useless chattering like on Facebook, blogs, etc”. If so it would be something to give up entirely if point 1 is to be taken that way! After all, it says “blogs, etc” there. I know FR isn’t a blog but still, the point seems to be there. IMO.
Is anyone giving up FR for Lent? I’m not. But I’m wondering about that “useless chattering” thing there.
I generally scan FR and other news sites periodically on my mobile during the day while taking care of other business. Not much of a penance if I stopped doing that. Tried fasting on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays one year. Now THAT was quite miserable. :)
St. Peter Chrysologus:
There are three things, my brethren,by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures.They are prayer, fasting and mercy.Prayer knocks at the door,fasting obtains, mercy receives.Prayer, mercy and fasting: These three are one, and they give life to each other.
Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting.Let no one try to separate them;they cannot be separated.If you have only one of them or not all of them together, you have nothing.So if you pray, fast;if you fast,show mercy;if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others.If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.
When you fast,see the fasting of others.If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry.If you hope for mercy, show mercy.If you look for kindness, show kindness.If you want to receive,give.If you ask for yourself what you deny to others,your asking is a mockery.
Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy:show mercy to others in the same way,with the same generosity,with the same promptness,as you want others to show mercy to you.
Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defense,a threefold united prayer in our favor.
Let us use fasting to make up for what we have lost by despising others.Let us offer our souls in sacrifice by means of fasting.There is nothing more pleasing that we can offer to God,as the psalmist said in prophecy:A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit;God does not despise a bruised and humbled heart.
Offer your soul to God, make him an oblation of your fasting, so that your soul may be a pure offering, a holy sacrifice,a living victim,remaining your own and at the same time made over to God.Whoever fails to give this to God will not be excused,for if you are to give him yourself you are never without the means of giving.
To make these acceptable, mercy must be added.Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy.Fasting dries up when mercy dries up.Mercy is to fasting as rain is to the earth.However much you may cultivate your heart,clear the soil of your nature,root out vices,sow virtues, if you do not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.
When you fast, if your mercy is thin your harvest will be thin;when you fast,what you pour out in mercy overflows into your barn.Therefore,do not lose by saving,but gather in by scattering.Give to the poor, and you give to yourself.You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give to others.
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