Want an amazing Lent? Follow these three simple steps!

It may be far from your mind because it seems that we just finished with Christmas, but, Lent is only a few short weeks away. Now is the time for us to begin thinking about what it is we need to do to start growing in our faith life. I went through a program a few years ago that was incredibly intense called Exodus 90. If you are looking for a spiritual kick in the pants, I highly recommend it. It is 90 days of prayer, fasting, and offering up your sufferings to God so that you can grow in holiness.

I’m not interested in doing Exodus 90 personally this year, but I would like something to challenge me. I also found through my experience in Exodus 90 that it is helpful if we can offer things up as a community of people as opposed to alone. When we have other people holding us accountable, we are more likely to stay the course during lent as opposed to continually falling off the wagon for another sweet treat!

GIVE UP

Each week of Lent I and a few others will be giving up a different thing together. Here is our list that we agreed on. We are giving up things that distract us as well as giving up luxury items. They may seem intense, but I know that with a group we can do it.  Maybe you and a group of your friends can do the same, or you can join us in what we are giving up:

Week 1: No Social Media

Week 2: Cold Showers

Week 3: No Snacks between meals

Week 4: No recreational video of any kind

Week 5: Water as the only Drink

Week 6: No Red Meat

These may seem intense, but each one only last one week. Every Wednesday we will change what we are doing and move to the next week’s challenge.

PICK UP

For the entire time, we will all be picking up a spiritual discipline. I listen to a podcast called Catching Foxes, and I heard that they were doing as a parish “The Examen.” The Examen is primarily an opportunity to put yourself before God before you go to sleep and review your day. Start at the very beginning and examine everything that you have done that day. Did you start your day with prayer, did you give thanks to God for hitting every green light and making it too work on time? Did you get frustrated with that one co-worker or friend that gets on your nerves? Go through your entire day and ask God for forgiveness for how you could have done better and also take time to thank Him for his many gifts throughout the day. Lastly, close asking for the grace to do better tomorrow and pray one of your favorite prayers. Maybe an Our Father, or the Creed, Memorare, etc.

OFFER UP

The final component is to choose something to offer your sufferings up too. In joining our prayers together, it helps us to realize that we are a community of believers striving not only for holiness but also petitioning God that He may hear our prayer. Here is what we will be praying for during Lent, and I hope you will join us!

Week 1: The Youth of our Diocese

Week 2: Those considering abortion as well as all the souls that have been aborted.

Week 3: For all those that hold political office to be guided by Christ.

Week 4: For all those affected by sexual abuse especially those who have been hurt by the Church.

Week 5: For those without access to clean water.

Week 6: For the Homeless of our Diocese.

I hope that you will join me and many others as we GIVE UP different luxuries that we all have, PICK UP a spiritual component to grow in faith and finally to OFFER UP our suffering and unite it with the Cross of Christ so that our intentions may be heard with His.