Are we ready for the workout?

 

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 26^th, Tuesday, February 27^th, and Wednesday, February 28^th 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.