Lenten Observances and Some Thoughts ...
A.M.D.G.
J.M.J.
It's that time of the Church year for the faithful to discern what God is calling them to do to observe the Lenten season leading up to Triduum. It's not necessarily a matter of "giving something up," it can be a pious practice or something else that will help you grow. The only requirement of these practices is that they help lead you to a closer relationship with God.
With that, comes my usual post where I write what I am hoping to do this Lent.
Just an FYI, I am not writing this to toot my Catholicky horn of uber-sanctity and "me so holy tra la la!." It's anything but that. I am as far from perfect as you can get. Trust me. I do this more to keep myself accountable and to share my faith with others. Faith that is not shared with love and charity is a limp faith. Faith that is shared for the sake of pride and egocentricism is not true faith or just plain poorly formed faith.
Anywho, here is what I hope to do:
1. Since I already abstain from meat on Fridays during the year, I hope to make Fridays a day of fast and abstinence. On those days, lunch shall be my main meal and dinner shall be small. I might reverse it, depending on how I am feeling energy-wise.
2. Also on Fridays, I shall continue to make my traditional Via Crucis at three o'clock at the chapel on campus. To my AQ friends, feel free to join me! We shall do the Divine Mercy Chaplet afterward so bring your Rosary (they have some at the Chapel in case you forget or don't have one). We can also do a Rosary but I think Catholic Life does that. I made a FB event for the Via.
3. I have been a bad little Latinist of late (more like for the past four years), therefore, I resolve at least a few times a week, to crack open that "Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin" text and do a bit a day throughout Lent and hopefully afterward. What is Latin going to do for me spiritually? Well, it will help me understand more why certain words are used as opposed to others. It will make my pronunciation better. And, my goal is to be able to do a basic ad-libbed Latin prayer. Latin is a beautiful language. It's also a gateway language. lol
4. Since I am hoping that God is calling me to be Spouse to His Son, I need to grow closer and closer to Him Who is Perfection itself. Being as far from perfect as one can be, I have quite a way to go. Therefore, I figured I would cut to the chase and hit the books! I am hoping to read some of Saint Teresa of Avila's "The Way of Perfection" every night or so throughout Lent. That should help.
5. Also since I am hopefully entering the convent in the near future (I am so excited for this!), I need to form a more regular prayer life. Near daily Adoration has been wonderful beyond comprehension(Gratias ago tibi, Mistah Fahey) and I hope it continues. But I also hope to pray daily the principal hours of the Divine Office (Lauds, Vespers, Compline) with the addition of the Office of Readings when time permits. I love my four volume Divine Office!
I think five is a good number to end on. You know, five ... for the Sacred Wounds of Our Lord. Trust me, totally didn't mean it to be that way. It just came out as such. God provides!
Well, I hope this post has served its purpose for you! I hope it is been a model, a lacking model, but a model nonetheless for you and perhaps giving you some inspiration for what you might be called to do this Lent!
Remember, Lenten observances don't have to end on Holy Thursday night. It's just that during Lent, the Lord calls us to walk with Him in the desert and on the way to Calvary. The important thing is to remember that when Christ gives you your Cross, you are not called to drag it in the dust. You are not called to give it to other people to carry (they have their own Via to walk). You are not called to roll your eyes and begrudgingly carry it because you *have* to.
You are called to LOVE your cross. You are called to embrace your cross like Christ embraced His Cross. He Who was pure Innocence loved His Cross though He suffered a death He did not deserve. He calls you to love your Cross. No matter how painful it may be. He calls you to embrace your cross and carry it squarely on your shoulders.
Of course, being fallen creatures, we will probably fall into the dust. Our tears, sweat and blood will mingle with the dirt we trod underfoot but a true follower of Christ is called to get up, dust oneself off and move on, carrying the cross with the same, if not stronger, love that one had before the falling. Lent is not meant to tear us down. It's meant to build us up so we can be more like Him and grow closer to Him
And remember, Mary is always there to help you along the way. Mary will help lead you back to her Son when you fall. She will help you further understand the meaning of His suffering and your suffering with Him. All true Marian devotion ends with Christ. That's the only way she would ever have it.
Well, Latin Compline is a'callin' before I hit the sack.
Have a blessed Lent, everyone!
Dio ti benedica e Maria ti protegge per sempre!
-Allie
Mood: Content but busy
Location: Saint Aloysius' Retreat at the Pantsuit Nunnery
Music: EWTN's live stream
J.M.J.
It's that time of the Church year for the faithful to discern what God is calling them to do to observe the Lenten season leading up to Triduum. It's not necessarily a matter of "giving something up," it can be a pious practice or something else that will help you grow. The only requirement of these practices is that they help lead you to a closer relationship with God.
With that, comes my usual post where I write what I am hoping to do this Lent.
Just an FYI, I am not writing this to toot my Catholicky horn of uber-sanctity and "me so holy tra la la!." It's anything but that. I am as far from perfect as you can get. Trust me. I do this more to keep myself accountable and to share my faith with others. Faith that is not shared with love and charity is a limp faith. Faith that is shared for the sake of pride and egocentricism is not true faith or just plain poorly formed faith.
Anywho, here is what I hope to do:
1. Since I already abstain from meat on Fridays during the year, I hope to make Fridays a day of fast and abstinence. On those days, lunch shall be my main meal and dinner shall be small. I might reverse it, depending on how I am feeling energy-wise.
2. Also on Fridays, I shall continue to make my traditional Via Crucis at three o'clock at the chapel on campus. To my AQ friends, feel free to join me! We shall do the Divine Mercy Chaplet afterward so bring your Rosary (they have some at the Chapel in case you forget or don't have one). We can also do a Rosary but I think Catholic Life does that. I made a FB event for the Via.
3. I have been a bad little Latinist of late (more like for the past four years), therefore, I resolve at least a few times a week, to crack open that "Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin" text and do a bit a day throughout Lent and hopefully afterward. What is Latin going to do for me spiritually? Well, it will help me understand more why certain words are used as opposed to others. It will make my pronunciation better. And, my goal is to be able to do a basic ad-libbed Latin prayer. Latin is a beautiful language. It's also a gateway language. lol
4. Since I am hoping that God is calling me to be Spouse to His Son, I need to grow closer and closer to Him Who is Perfection itself. Being as far from perfect as one can be, I have quite a way to go. Therefore, I figured I would cut to the chase and hit the books! I am hoping to read some of Saint Teresa of Avila's "The Way of Perfection" every night or so throughout Lent. That should help.
5. Also since I am hopefully entering the convent in the near future (I am so excited for this!), I need to form a more regular prayer life. Near daily Adoration has been wonderful beyond comprehension(Gratias ago tibi, Mistah Fahey) and I hope it continues. But I also hope to pray daily the principal hours of the Divine Office (Lauds, Vespers, Compline) with the addition of the Office of Readings when time permits. I love my four volume Divine Office!
I think five is a good number to end on. You know, five ... for the Sacred Wounds of Our Lord. Trust me, totally didn't mean it to be that way. It just came out as such. God provides!
Well, I hope this post has served its purpose for you! I hope it is been a model, a lacking model, but a model nonetheless for you and perhaps giving you some inspiration for what you might be called to do this Lent!
Remember, Lenten observances don't have to end on Holy Thursday night. It's just that during Lent, the Lord calls us to walk with Him in the desert and on the way to Calvary. The important thing is to remember that when Christ gives you your Cross, you are not called to drag it in the dust. You are not called to give it to other people to carry (they have their own Via to walk). You are not called to roll your eyes and begrudgingly carry it because you *have* to.
You are called to LOVE your cross. You are called to embrace your cross like Christ embraced His Cross. He Who was pure Innocence loved His Cross though He suffered a death He did not deserve. He calls you to love your Cross. No matter how painful it may be. He calls you to embrace your cross and carry it squarely on your shoulders.
Of course, being fallen creatures, we will probably fall into the dust. Our tears, sweat and blood will mingle with the dirt we trod underfoot but a true follower of Christ is called to get up, dust oneself off and move on, carrying the cross with the same, if not stronger, love that one had before the falling. Lent is not meant to tear us down. It's meant to build us up so we can be more like Him and grow closer to Him
And remember, Mary is always there to help you along the way. Mary will help lead you back to her Son when you fall. She will help you further understand the meaning of His suffering and your suffering with Him. All true Marian devotion ends with Christ. That's the only way she would ever have it.
Well, Latin Compline is a'callin' before I hit the sack.
Have a blessed Lent, everyone!
Dio ti benedica e Maria ti protegge per sempre!
-Allie
Mood: Content but busy
Location: Saint Aloysius' Retreat at the Pantsuit Nunnery
Music: EWTN's live stream