Lent

[Velobambina]

It starts tomorrow. Early this year. Doing anything special?

Being a good Mick girl whose parents raised her with their pre-Vatican II values, I try to do something for Lent even though I haven't been to Mass since my mom's funeral in 2001....

My goal this Lent is to do at least one good deed every day---something nice for another person, even if it's just letting someone in front of me in traffic. I intend to make this a daily event, continuing past Easter.

Keeping within the confines of Lent: I'm giving up buying any clothes, including cycling stuff. Now I put it in writing, I can't renege! LOL. I hope there aren't any good sales during Lent. I had my last hurrah today, getting myself a pair of new bib shorts here at TE (in anticipation of that early spring that I'm willing into existence).

[RoadRaven]

So, I know almost nothing about Lent... how long does it last for Velobambina?

And you have to choose to give up something, right? Hence no buying clothes?

Is that because Jesus "gave up" his life? Or another reason?

[indysteel]

So, I know almost nothing about Lent... how long does it last for Velobambina?

And you have to choose to give up something, right? Hence no buying clothes?

Is that because Jesus "gave up" his life? Or another reason?

In Western Christianity, Lent "runs" from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday (the day before Good Friday), but does not include the intervening Sundays. Other churches, however, calculate it differently. The 40 days of Lent symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert resisting Satan's temptation, which is why Christians often fast, repent, and/or deprive themselves of something during that period.

I'm a lapsed Catholic of sorts, but I'm trying to cut down on TV during Lent. Only news, weather and PBS. It's sort of a test run to see if I could live with just basic cable.

And feel free to correct me on any of this. It's been a long time since I studied my Catechism.

[snapdragen]

Oh good, that means I get to listen to the lady next to me tell me, every day, how she gave up sugar for Lent. And remind me of it daily if I should have something sweet. Or if someone else has something sweet. Or if the thought just crosses her mind.....

:rolleyes::D

[kat_h]

Oh good, that means I get to listen to the lady next to me tell me, every day, how she gave up sugar for Lent. And remind me of it daily if I should have something sweet. Or if someone else has something sweet. Or if the thought just crosses her mind.....

:rolleyes::D

Bake a cake for her. :)

[jobob]

You can offer to take her Valentine's chocolates for her. Lead her not into temptation & all that jazz. :cool:

[tulip]

Velobambina, I like your strategy for doing something positive every day. Lent is so focused on the negative (literally--NOT doing something, giving something up), but I prefer the positive action focus.

Mind if I copy you?

Giving up sugar for Lent is SOOOOO, I don't know, 9th century? Okay, that's a stretch, since there probably wasn't alot of sugar in Christendom in the 9th century. But really, give up something that matters to the world! Or do something extra that matters to the world. The world around you or the world at large. No cake? What good does that do?

(yeah, yeah, yeah, it's supposed to be an inner spiritual thing, but I don't buy that the best way to get closer to the spiritual world is to give up cake).

[Zen]

Yeah, give up sugar for Lent.
Save those calories for the Easter Bunny.

[Veronica]

I always figured you were supposed to give up something you really cared about, so you could really understand suffering. But I'm not Catholic, so maybe I have that wrong. :)

I like the idea of doing something nice. The world needs more kindness.

Maybe we should have a daily kindness thread. That could make for some interesting reading. Does it count as a kindness if I don't tell the student who is totally driving me insane to get out of my face? Probably not. :rolleyes:

V.

[MomOnBike]

Like so much else, Lent is what you make of it.

I've used Lent as an excuse to diet. Someone in the office offers a donut and you say, "No thanks, it's Lent." They back off, and the calories are foregone. I lost 10 lbs that Lent... (That place was infested with donuts)

I was taught that the best Lenten discipline is something that means something to you, and is difficult to accomplish. One year I gave up a certain thought pattern - now that was tough, I shoulda given up chocolate, instead.

Oh, and you don't have to give up something, you can add something - like 10 extra pushups every morning.

I'm not saying what I'm doing for Lent this year, but it will be a stretch for me.

[Fredwina]

Like MomOnBike, I use lent to do positive things. and the AC(Anglican Communion ) emphasizes discipline instead of scarifice.
That being said, I'm going to give soda. even thought I do diet, I still drink too much of it.
I'm also going to try and ride my bike every day.
Snapdragen , your neighbor reminded me of this (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mt%206:5-6&version=31);) I always the trick to live to be like a swan: glide gracefully across the surface, but paddle like mad under the surface:)

[Running Mommy]

[QUOTE=Veronica;284319]I always figured you were supposed to give up something you really cared about, so you could really understand suffering. But I'm not Catholic, so maybe I have that wrong. :)

HA! As a kid giving up sugar WAS something important!
I remember giving up bubble gum one year. The easter bunny brought me a basket full. heh heh heh

[Trek420]

You can offer to take her Valentine's chocolates for her. Lead her not into temptation & all that jazz. :cool:

I like this! You'd be doing a good deed so you're covered for Lent too. "For 40 days I will protect the chocolate of those observing Lent"

Ohhhh, I'm going straight to h*ll for this I'm sure. :p ;)

[boy in a kilt]

In Western Christianity, Lent "runs" from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday (the day before Good Friday), but does not include the intervening Sundays. Other churches, however, calculate it differently. The 40 days of Lent symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert resisting Satan's temptation, which is why Christians often fast, repent, and/or deprive themselves of something during that period.

I'm a lapsed Catholic of sorts, but I'm trying to cut down on TV during Lent. Only news, weather and PBS. It's sort of a test run to see if I could live with just basic cable.

And feel free to correct me on any of this. It's been a long time since I studied my Catechism.

That was pretty much how I was, uh, taught when I attended Catholic school.

I've passed the "lapsed" catholic point and am now settling into apostasy.

When I die, I expect to hear Sisters Mary, Elvira and Sincladica, formerly of Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, telling God "We have unfinished business with this one, we'll take care of it. "

[F8th637]

I decided to give up soda for lent which I have done in the past. This year I think it will be tough because I do have like one diet one a day (usually during lunch.) I figure it's good. I had also thought about giving up shopping in order to save for a new bike but I figure I can do that without really giving up too much. :D

[Geonz]

I'm a very post-vatican II Catholic (in my Catholic school we had purple mimeograph paper with the words to "tin soldiers and nixon coming, we're finally on our own... this summer I hear the drumming... four dead in Ohio" ).

Here's a link I put on my blog : Bicycling as a Lenten Practice (http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=news.display_article&mode=C&NewsID=5266&cookies_enabled=false) (it's gotten neat comments from people who assume(d) Christian meant Christian Right).

I'm going to try to get to work early enough to be changed into professional attire more often, and give up Pop Tarts.

Jesus spent forty days in the desert praying adn fasting and basically focusing on God. Catholics emulate that in Lent. Of course, we impose our personalities and psychologies upon the tradition.. It's sorta like training for the "big wazoobidoo" of Easter. We don't say the A word (alleluia) in the liturgy until Holy Thursday, or sing the Gloria. Feels so good when we get it back!

[sbctwin]

We don't say the A word (alleluia) in the liturgy until Holy Thursday, or sing the Gloria. Feels so good when we get it back!

I agree. I love the Gloria and feel the mass so much more personally involved. There was a period where our 'cantor' (yea, right) sang it and we just got to sing a responsorial. I felt like 'my participation' in the mass was lacking.

DH and I are going to try and modify our eating habits (give up deserts). We are undecided as to whether to give up our wine with our Friday fish, but that will probably go.

I am trying to think more positively. When negative thoughts come along, I have to refocus my energy towards something positive.

At the Ash Wed service, the homily was about leaving stuff at the 'river bank' and proceed forward. I want to get a copy of the homily if I can and reread it regulary through lent. I also want to say 'The Our Father' twice a day to really get the day going in a positive way.

I will try, at least:o

[withm]

We don't say the A word (alleluia) in the liturgy until Holy Thursday, or sing the Gloria. Feels so good when we get it back!

Sheesh 12 years of Catholic girls school and why don't I know that? Well it WAS a lllloooonnnnggg time ago I guess.....

:o

[carpaltunnel]

ELCA Lutheran here...Last night at Ash Wednesday services our pastor encouraged us to move beyond the things we wanted to do for ourselves anyway, like giving up sweets, to good deeds, alms giving, acts of kindness, and self examination.

[RoadRaven]

Ah... of course... 40 days before Easter.
Doh! I knew this!!!

Thank you for your explainations...

I kind've forget about Easter being at this time of the year. About the only time I do remember is in the supermarket with the plethore of rabbits and eggs!

Ostara is in Spring time, and Spring down here is actually (approximately) when you in the North observe Samhain/Halloween!

So while we do "do" Easter at this time of the year - particulalrly the retailers and marketers - I don't really think about it.

Its interesting how "the church" interpreted this time for its followers. I know Jesus gave up much for his meditations in the desert... and yet that is not what I think of when I think of his time there. I don't think - he gave up, so I should go without something too...
I think, he spent all this time in focused and purposeful thought - how could I do that more in my life?
(this is what CarpalTunnel's pastor seems to be suggesting - now that's spiritual pastor - as opposed to being "just" religious. Keep him on CT)

[7rider]

Sheesh 12 years of Catholic girls school and why don't I know that? Well it WAS a lllloooonnnnggg time ago I guess.....

:o

13 years co-ed here (counting kindergarten).
Still...no clue about the lack of "A" until Holy Thursday.
Don't recall hearing or not hearing it....don't recall ever being told it...not quite motivated to go and test it this weekend. :o

[OakLeaf]

Don't recall hearing or not hearing it....

Well if it's anything like my Episcopal church, you'll still hear a few Alleluias from parishioners who are still reciting their responses on auto-pilot from the Epiphany season ;)

[MomOnBike]

Of course, I've never said the automatic Alleulia during Lent, nope not me! No sir! Never, ever happened. ;)

[LBTC]

Overtly catholic upbringing here, with a twisted memory of Lent. Remember that part that Indysteel noted that Lent didn't include the Sundays? Well, that was interpreted in my family home as - whatever you gave up for lent you could still do on Sunday. Every year, Dad would give up candy, for the whole family, even though we didn't eat a lot of candy all year. I'm sure we ate more candy on the Sundays in Lent than we did at any other time of the year! :o

I also recall proposing giving up homework one lent, since I really enjoyed it. Funny, that didn't fly!

Today, I"m recovering from all of the negative parts of that childhood and simply don't observe the season. Most days I try to share beauty and joy by sending a photo to my email list of people. And, yes, I'm learning that I need to start changing negative thoughts when they happen. And I'm practicing gratitude as often as possible. Who would have guessed that my health would return so well?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[7rider]

Overtly catholic upbringing here, with a twisted memory of Lent. Remember that part that Indysteel noted that Lent didn't include the Sundays? Well, that was interpreted in my family home as - whatever you gave up for lent you could still do on Sunday.

We had that, too. (well, not the gorge-fest on candy) But Sundays "didn't count" in Lent...day of rest and all that.

[Velobambina]

Dang, Sunday counted in our house.

[Geonz]

Welp, in the UK some bishops are preaching "give up carbon for Lent" (tho' I dare say 'give up' is being used a bit loosely)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/02/05/ealent105.xml

alle... oops! Sing Praises!

[invsblwmn]

Friends of mine for the past two years have given up days WITHOUT sex for lent. Of course, Sundays, they indulge and just go to sleep. :D

[LBTC]

IV - that's fabulous!! And a lot of lemonade! Yum!

H&B
~T~