Well, it’s here! Lent 2012 began in our house with Hooked on Classics at an approximately deafening volume, and a gorgeous gold-leaf sunrise outside the windows.
It’s been tough to get myself mentally prepared this season, immersed as we are in the Tiny Baby Stage of parenthood once again. It seems every time I have a few minutes to think, someone’s demanding my attention again. If it’s not Michael, it’s Nicholas (more on that tomorrow), who even as I type is sitting on my lap…hence the wandering, stream-of-consciousness style of writing today. But this much I have realized: what I am called to do this Lent has something to do with serving my children better, with greater patience and understanding, and (shocker) more self-sacrifice.
I talked to Alex a day or two ago about Lenten goals. I encouraged him to think of acts of service he could perform for different people every day, and gave him some examples so he would understand what I meant. But I tried to be clear that he gets to choose his own Lenten practice.
From the time I was his age, adults were urging us to think beyond “giving something up.” More recently, priests have warned us not to start a diet and call it a Lenten practice. And I agree with them–but with a caveat.
We don’t have very healthy eating habits in modern America. And while we tend to focus on that as it relates to standards of beauty, the fact is that gluttony and sedentary lifestyles are inherently disrespectful of ourselves as temples of the Lord. We should eat well and stay active, not to live up to some impossible standard of cultural beauty, but because that is one way in which we respect God’s creation.
For this reason, I don’t think it’s all bad to set a physical, food-related “fast” for Lent. To do so requires self-discipline, and self-discipline automatically turns us toward God…because it’s hard. There’s a big emptiness longing to be filled, and when we’ve taken away the physical, we are more open to spiritual filling.
So tell me, those of you who are observing Lent…what is your practice for this season?
Kathleen M. Basi 
I’ve changed my mind about lent. Should there be a season where we do something we should do all the time anyway? Such as try to be nicer, kinder, etc.? As for fasting etc., I’ve never understood that either. Seems like fasting makes me think more about food than anything else. Good Friday? Rather than sing those sad songs, I’d rather rejoice in the risen Lord. Not just on Easter but every day. I just don’t think Jesus wants us to make ourselves sad. When I think of the people I loved and lost, do I think of their dying days? No, I think of them in the arms of Christ. I probably shouldn’t post this.
Giving up fiction to focus what reading time I do have towards improving the mind and/or spirit.
Have a lent focused devotional to read.
Not sure yet what focus almsgiving will take.
We are leaving restaurant food for lent…it is a true sacrifice for us because some days, it’s just hard to make dinner. But instead of grabbing takeout, on those days, we’ll most likely make a peanut butter sandwich and pop some popcorn or something. I am increasing my prayer through three Chaplets of Divine Mercy for 1-an end to abortion, 2-conversion of our public officials (especially those who claim Catholic, but attack our faith in the public sphere) and 3-for our Bishops here in America. and of course…we’ll do the almsgiving as well.
I think anything that helps us to be more self-disciplined and look toward God is a good thing…Lent or not. Our priest said this morning in his Homily: “Sure, you should probably be doing whatever you ‘DO’ for lent all the time, but Lent is this period of time when God says, ‘WAKE UP!’ and asks us to live for HIM” and then he implored us to realize that most of us are not living for God…and that perhaps we ought to.
Happy Lent!
Everyone is sharing such interesting thoughts! Dottie, I can definitely sympathize…mostly because it seems like we’re always looking at Lent as a way to make ourselves miserable for a while, only to revert when it’s all over. That’s why I’m trying to look at this as an opportunity for permanent, positive change in my relationship with God.
Love the idea of giving up fiction to focus on devotional. That would be HARD. But would allow a lot to get done!
We are fasting one meal a week and donating the money saved to a charity through our church, ie food bank, clean water, habitat for humanity etc.
btw Scot and Amy welcomed Eli Jacob yesterday. please tell Christian.
Now each of our kids have three !!!! We are soooo blessed.
Congratulations! Actually, I think I saw that Christian had commented on a Facebook picture, so I believe he knows–but I’ll make sure he knows the wonderful news!
I’m fasting from meat on Ash Wednesday, Fridays, and fasting 12-3 on Good Friday. I’m not required to do this as a Lutheran but I find it’s a beneficial practice for me because every time I’m tempted to have meat on those days, I’m reminded of Jesus. Friday is going to be hard as I’ve gotten used to sushi and teryaki chicken for lunch in the last few weeks.
I’m also going to be doing some spiritual writing every day at ::Meditatio::. I’ve been just posting memes lately and I want to explore faith things this Lent.
I saw that on your blog–looking forward to seeing what you have to say during Lent!
Hi, Kate,
My husband and I went to an Ash Wednesday service at a church in central PA today (we were traveling and the timing randomly worked), and the priest explained a reason for giving something up for Lent in a way I had not heard before. He said that when we give up chocolate, desserts, meat, TV, etc., it isn’t because those things are terrible things that we should never do, but that people are often reluctant to say “no” to themselves about things that are, in fact, sinful. So, by denying ourselves fairly non-dangerous/sinful things (chocolate, meat, etc.), we are practicing saying “no” to ourselves so that when something that IS sinful comes our way, we will have already practiced denying ourselves something that we like/want and we will [hopefully] be better ready to say “no” to ourselves then. I thought that was a good way of thinking about giving up things. So often, I have heard priests/etc. make it sound like giving things up is trite and that we should really DO something for Lent (not that I don’t agree with doing things for Lent), but I think Fr. From Lock Haven, PA, gave a new and fresh insight (at least for me) on giving things up. One of the things I am doing for Lent this year is giving up chocolate. The other needs more explaining than is appropriate for a blog reply!
~KM
That is so interesting! Thanks for sharing. I love how there’s room for all these different perspectives, and none of them are wrong–it’s all in the way you approach them.
I’m giving up the chocolate chips for Lent too! One day down and 39 to go!
Thanks for the good thoughts here. Listening and learning, it’s good to read and reflect on both post and comments. God’s blessings to all!
I’m replacing some internet time with spiritual reading time, and working on restricting meat to one meal a day several days of the week. This is challenging my creativity. I’d love to do serious fasting but blood sugar levels aren’t co-operating. Also, I’m carving out time every week to get an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament – time I’d be spending doing something I’d be indulging myself in. My hope is to make weekly adoration time a habit.
That time for adoration is a terrific one. /I’m goiung to file that away for future use….