PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR LENT

With Lent almost upon us now, here are some suggestions which Fr Goddard gave in his homily last Sunday as to how we might use this holy time of grace.

Prayer

· Try to get to Mass more often during Lent

· Try to get to Confession regularly during Lent.

· If you are not already saying a daily Rosary then Lent would be a good time to start. If you do already, then why not take a second Rosary during Lent for the needs of others.

· The Stations of the Cross is a popular devotion which focusses us on the direction Lent leads us, namely salvation won for us through Christ’s Passion and Death.

· Why not take up a particular prayer intention for Lent:

o This could be personal or for others in your life.

o For our children’s education and the end to immoral secular agendas being imposed in the classroom.

o For the clear and unambiguous reaffirmation of Church teaching around marriage.

· Lent would be a good time to make an effort in spiritual reading: You might like to consider volume 2 of Benedict XVI’s book: Jesus of Nazareth: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection.

Fasting

· Only take on things which you think you can manage for 40 days – don’t overstretch yourself.

· Don’t choose something that will make you “crabby”, thus leading you and those around you into sin.

· Don’t give up if you slip up in your resolve, but keep starting again for the 40 days.

· If charity towards a challenging person in your life is particularly difficult, refraining from a lack of charity and trying to get on with that person can be a greater penance and mortification than, for example, chocolate or television.

Almsgiving

· Home – Consider supporting a pro-life charity, such as SPUC or The Good Counsel Network.

· Abroad – Consider supporting a charity which supports persecuted Christians, such as Aid to the Church in Need.

by fsspuk