Lent starts this week on February 14th with Ash Wednesday
and if you are an active Catholic your email inbox might look like mine;
flooded with ways to make this year’s Lent the MOST AMAZING LENT EVER. There is no shortage of publications, email
subscription lists, and prayer meditations for you to subscribe to make your
journey through lent a powerful one.
But will you?
As Catholics, our Lenten experience is supposed to be a bit
of a workout. It is 40 days of spiritual
weightlifting. Sacrifice, Prayer, and
Charitable works. This is the trifecta for your Lenten Exercises. However you decide to spend your Lent, just
like with a workout regime, it’s best to come up with a plan BEFORE you
begin. Think about your Lenten Goals.
Think about what ways God is calling you to grow. Take time to discern and listen to the will
of God, and then pray for God to reveal himself to you in a powerful way! Decide now, which resources will be best for
you.
Prayer Resources: There is something for everyone. Are you into podcasts? Listening to prayer?
Know the basics of how to use a smartphone?
Then the Catholic App HALLOW is amazing!
There is a free version with access to wonderful prayer resources and talks
or a paid subscription that unlocks content to keep you listening and praying
through the day. This is one of my
favorites to use with my family and has wonderful content for children as well.
If you sit in front of a computer all day long, then perhaps filling your inbox
with prayer spam isn’t a bad idea. The
Catholic Company sends a daily reflection that only takes a few minutes to read
each morning.
Ideas for Fasting: I recently heard a wonderful teaching on fasting
that reminded me that fasting without a purpose or a goal is called dieting. When we fast, we should be fasting for a
reason. During Lent, our reason can be to unite our suffering to Christ to be
more like him and to grow in our relationship with him. Fast from something that will make you uncomfortable. I once fasted from Coffee for Lent, this became
a sacrifice for my entire family.
Suggestions for Charity:
We are very blessed here at Christ the King in all different ways. Whether your almsgiving is time or money -
give freely during Lent. Every good gift
we have comes from God, so when we give it away, we are glorifying our heavenly
Father. Be generous with what God gives
us! He is the great provider and will
always surpass us in generosity.
Our Lenten
Parish Mission this year is on Monday, February 26th, Tuesday,
February 27th, and Wednesday, February 28th from 7 PM to
8:30 PM. This parish mission is going to be spectacular and everyone
needs to be there. Clear your calendars and invite the entire world to
come hear the message. The speakers are engaging, entertaining, and
inspiring as they speak about the call to Missionary Discipleship, the complete
gift of oneself, and the 7 pillars of Evangelization. They will equip all
of us to go out and make Disciples. Which is exactly what Jesus calls all
of us to do. Please spread the word and start talking about this!
No matter what you decide for Lent decide SOMETHING. Your extra sacrifices might end come Easter,
but hopefully, your charitable acts and prayer time will continue into life-long
habits.
