Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which begins the season of Lent. Lent is a time of great grace, a time a spiritual renewal. Traditionally there are three main components to Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. So, here are 25 ways to live the Lenten season in a spirit of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. There is no particular order to these 25 ways, and I don’t pretend that these are the best or most creative ways. However, if you’re looking for some ideas, hopefully you will find one or two here. I’d love to hear some ways that you are planning to enter into the spirit of Lent, so please feel free to leave a comment. Your comments may be helpful to the readers of this blog as well.
Without further adieu, here are 25 way to live the Lenten season.
1) Read a little Scripture (maybe choose one of the Gospels)
2) Read a spiritual book for ten minutes
3) Spend ten extra minutes in silence
4) Pray the rosary
5) Pray the Way of the Cross
6) Stop by a church for five minutes on your way to/from work (if possible)
7) Go to daily Mass or try to go once or twice during the week besides Sunday
8) Put aside $1-$2 a day and give it to charity at the end of Lent (consider giving to Haiti if you haven’t done so)
9) Give up desserts
10) Give up unhealthy snacks
11) Give up alcohol
12) Give up or cut down on coffee or tea
13) Give up bread
14) Wake up earlier than usual (get up as soon as the alarm goes off)
15) Go to bed earlier than usual
16) Give up or spend less time on the Internet, especially facebook, twitter, and other social networking sites
17) Give up or cut down on Television
18) Don’t listen to the radio while you drive; use the silent time for prayer
19) Cut down on the number of times a day you check email
20) Fast on Fridays if your health allows for it (one meal or just bread and water)
21) Call a friend or family member each day—or a few times during the week— to see how they’re doing
22) Volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or another place that is committed to serving the poor, addicted, or abused.
23) Remain calm when driving
24) Simplify your life: each week go through your closets and drawers and get rid of clothes and give them to the needy; each week get rid of books and find a place to give them away
25) Begin and end your day on your knees
I pray that you have a blessed and holy Lenten season!
P.S. I’m leaving for Rome on Thursday to visit our three seminarians at the North American College. Please know that I will pray for you. I may not get a chance to post another article until after I return on the 24th. I will try to tweet from Rome if possible.
Thanks Fr Michael for these wonderful suggestions. #23 made me laugh, b/c I KNOW I need to remain more calm when driving, and I don’t even live in a big city! Just to share: this “Year for Priests” whatever I am giving up I am offering for the holiness of our priests and seminarians in our diocese and those dear to us. Attaching an intention to the offering makes the offering more meaningful and less difficult for me.
Have a safe and wonderful trip to the Eternal City. The NAC is a beautiful seminary; your men are very fortunate to be there. We visited it in 2008 for the diaconate ordinations at St Peters that October. Currently one of our seminarians is there too!
Michelle,
Thanks so much for offering your prayer and sacrifice for priests. It means more to us than you know!
Be assured of my prayers for you in the Eternal City!
Peace!
Safe travels! I enjoyed the list and shared it with many today.
Nicki,
Thanks for sharing my list! Keep us posted on your 1/2 marathon progress!
Peace!
Hi Father,
Thank you for this wonderful list. I will be doing the Consecration to Mary as I do every lent but I am also giving up secular TV. I will watch some Lenten specials on EWTN. Daily I will say the Rosary and go to Mass along with my morning and evening prayers. On Friday evening I plan to attend the Stations of the Cross at St. Philips and yes I will cut down on Facebook and e-mails. Have a safe trip and a holy and blessed Lent.
Jane
Jane,
Awesome that you’re doing the consecration! Your loading your Lent with many graces!
Peace!
Thank you for the list of suggestions Father!
You’re very welcome!
Fantastic list, Fr. Mike! I confess (and thank goodness you’re a priest) that many years have gone by when I’ve given up on giving up anything for lent due to my inability to come up with anything decent. But now I really have no excuse.
Have a great time in Rome! I got married there in a little church called Sant’Alfonso not far from Santa Maria Maggiore. Think of me when you sip Roman wine (as I’ll be giving it up for lent, thanks to your list)
.
Belinda,
Wine is a tough one to give up! If I do have a glass (or 2) I will think of you.
I will also pray for you, your husband, and son. Not sure if I’ll get a chance to go to St. Alfonso, but I will pray.
Peace!
Join us on facebook and “give up something for Lent to help Haiti”!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=468308345460
Great cause!
This is the first post that I read on your blog and it is amazingly helpful. God has given us the ultimate way to take care of our bodies and spirits during Lents and we do not have to look for any other way to bring our lives in balance (with God and with the world around us.) So many people now are struggling to improve their health or to manage their stress while there is this centuries-long practice hat can help them “restart” their lives and find peace with Lord.
Anastaiya,
Thanks for visiting my blog. Keep up the great work on your blog. It’s so important for us to use the internet to spread goodness.
Peace!