Three Practices for Catholics/Christians during Lent
3-Practices Catholics/Christians should do during Lent
1. Prayer-Add extra minutes each day or week to build a stronger relationship with God; Increase daily Mass/Services with Adoration visits with Jesus Christ; Start to read your Bible; add an extra chapter of scripture to read; share your Bible reading with someone to enrich both your lives. And…
Read Matthew 5:1-12 Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes. Which are you and what do you seek these 40-Lenten Days? Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB
Note: Jesus prayed constantly and deeply the night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. Fasting—abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and every Friday during Lent. What did Jesus give up? He fasted frequently.
3. Alms Giving—give extra attention outside your weekly, monthly tithing; (Take on a compassionate heart like Jesus toward your brethren. Give to charities that feed the poor or donate food to St. Vincent de Paul. You just might fill someone’s dinner table that night. Clothe the needy or go through your closet. Do you have something to clothe someone? And house the homeless by sharing a spare room to a friend till they get back on their feet. Through your heartfelt charitable love, may these encounter God.)
Note: What will God see in our hearts as we attempt to make more room for him?
In addition:
1. Sacrifice a favorite snack/dessert/meal-breakfast or lunch, etc. Create a deeper hunger for Jesus in prayer or scripture as your cravings attempt to get the best of you.
2. Idolatry: Refrain from obsessions with social media, round-the-clock texting, searching unimportant websites on phones & computers; TV season binging; shopping…just because, drinking, smoking, gambling and more.
Note: I’m not saying a person starts/stops for 40-days then resume. I hope one realizes whichever gets replaced with God first in their life during these 40-days, one sees it’s been with his help. I hope it will continue beyond Lent.
God is testing our hearts this season. Are our hearts filled with only us and our needs? Or have we or will we make MORE room for him?