Lenten Reprint

Last year I included a bulletin article that suggested a number of different ideas for Lent. It was one of the articles for which I received the most positive feedback. I figured that now would be another good time for this article. Believe it or not, Lent begins on February 26. Normally if we don’t take time to reflect, we take up standard penances such as: chocolate, sweets, or doing extra prayer. All of these things are good, but they don’t get to the heart of Lent.

Lent should be a time to reorder our life. In preparation for Lent, we take time to examine our lives and evaluate our graces and shortcomings. The 40 Days of Lent can become a privileged time of conversion, where sins are removed and our hearts are focused on the Lord. Our Lenten practices should reorder our lives and help to restore God’s image in us. They should serve as remedies to heal our brokenness. With this in mind, I would like to offer a list of possible Lenten penances that can heal our particular brokenness:
•Snacking between meals
•Eating after dinner
•Texting while driving
•If you struggle with silence, give up non-religious music
•Cursing – putting $5 every time you curse in a jar which is donated
•Wearing clothes that are too tight and draw attention only to your body
•If you struggle with pride, pray the Litany of Humility daily
•Put a piece of clothing in a give-away pile each day
•Don’t buy anything other than essentials (food, gas, medicine, etc)
•Give up TV or YouTube
•If you struggle with pornography, sign up for CovenantEyes.com
•If you struggle with vanity, give up makeup or your mirror
•If you don’t know any sins you struggle with, do a nightly examination of conscience
•Give up sarcasm
•Talking about yourself, except with close friends/spouse
•Try to make eye contact and smile at strangers
•Read our parish Lenten book I Thirst
•Go to confession if it has been weeks, months, years, or decades
•Give up drunkenness or underage drinking
•Ask for help when you need it
•Give up pretending that you don’t have time for prayer
•Stop gossiping
•Give out 5 compliments each day
•Put a pebble in your shoe if you struggle with being too comfortable
•Read the Sunday readings before Mass
•Write to or call important people in your life
•Read the entire Gospel of Mark in one setting.
•Pray the Stations of the Cross
•Figure out a way to unplug from your smartphone
•Exercise for Lent
•Go to bed at a set time and refraining from the snooze button
•Visit someone in the nursing home
•Tell someone about Jesus each week

I pray that you have a fruitful Lent. I have selected a couple of these practices myself and with the Lord’s grace, I’ll hopefully have a time of conversion too.

Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Sean