Lent is here, and there are so many things to think about in order to be ready for the great penitential season.
What to give up? Personally, I give up tea, because it is both the simplest thing to do - it's so easy to remember - and the hardest thing to do, because I love my morning cup of tea... and my mid-morning cup... and my afternoon cup... and my just-before-bed cup...
And what to take up? Spiritual reading, extra prayers, a daily sacrifice...
And how many times should we go to confession? Once a week during Lent? Perhaps that's not a bad idea.
I read about this suggestion from St Josemaria Escriva, who was a great teacher of how to sanctify even the smallest and seemingly most insignificant moments of our day. He suggests we should get up out of bed the MINUTE the alarm goes off, rather than hitting the snooze button and rolling over for another 5 minutes of sleep. We offer up this sacrifice to God, he says, and this small mortification will strengthen us throughout the day in our resolution on the path of perfection. I think I shall try... and I emphasise try... to do this during Lent!
The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body. If, with God’s help, you conquer yourself, you will be well ahead for the rest of the day. It’s so discouraging to find oneself beaten at the first skirmish.
(The Way, 206)
And if we fail, perhaps we could give ourselves a penitential breakfast instead...
What to give up? Personally, I give up tea, because it is both the simplest thing to do - it's so easy to remember - and the hardest thing to do, because I love my morning cup of tea... and my mid-morning cup... and my afternoon cup... and my just-before-bed cup...
And what to take up? Spiritual reading, extra prayers, a daily sacrifice...
And how many times should we go to confession? Once a week during Lent? Perhaps that's not a bad idea.
I read about this suggestion from St Josemaria Escriva, who was a great teacher of how to sanctify even the smallest and seemingly most insignificant moments of our day. He suggests we should get up out of bed the MINUTE the alarm goes off, rather than hitting the snooze button and rolling over for another 5 minutes of sleep. We offer up this sacrifice to God, he says, and this small mortification will strengthen us throughout the day in our resolution on the path of perfection. I think I shall try... and I emphasise try... to do this during Lent!
The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body. If, with God’s help, you conquer yourself, you will be well ahead for the rest of the day. It’s so discouraging to find oneself beaten at the first skirmish.
(The Way, 206)
And if we fail, perhaps we could give ourselves a penitential breakfast instead...
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