Countdown to Lent, Part 2

Lent Minus 6 days and counting...some ideas for Lenten spiritual practices related to:

Fasting

For Catholics, numbers 1 and 4 are "required". However it seems to me that if you do these two because you "have to", neither will have much value.

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

1. Try following Catholic teaching on Fasting during Lent, shall we say, religiously? On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday eat only one full meal and two (very) light meals that together add up to no more than the full meal.
   
   
2. Try fasting – the real thing, not the Catholic Lite version. Don’t eat any solid food for an entire day, or any beverages that have any significant calories like milk, juice or soft drinks. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are particularly good days to do this.
   
   
3. A Golden Oldie: Abstain throughout Lent from one or two pleasurable foods or drinks you typically enjoy as a treat. Last year I passed on Starbucks for 6 ½ weeks (a personal addiction). For you maybe it’s ice cream, Krispy Kreme, or chocolate.
   
   
4. Abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. Catholicism 101. It never seemed like much of a sacrifice to eat fish instead of meat, so for extra credit, try not eating fish, eggs or dairy products either. (I wonder if vegans should abstain from fruits and vegetables, and only eat meat & fish?)
   
   
5. Sign up to participate in The H2O Project.
   
   
6. Participate in Operation Rice Bowl.
   
   
7. Fast from a non-food item -- TV, Facebook, texting, a hobby
   

Countdown to Lent, Part 1

Ash Wednesday is only a week away, so it’s a good time to start thinking about Lent and planning the spiritual practices we’ll use to prepare ourselves for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

Traditional Lenten spiritual practices revolve around prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, so over the next few days I’ll be offering some suggestions under each category, including some golden oldies and one or two that might be a little radical. Just whatever you choose to do, do it as cheerfully and as privately as possible.

Prayer

1. Read the daily readings every day and reflect on them. You can do the reflection in the car on the way to work, during breakfast, lunch, or a break.
   
   
2. Take 15 minutes at the same time each day to pray and reflect.
   
   
3. Attend daily Mass (at least) once a week.
   
   
4. Receive the sacrament of Reconciliation.
   
   
5. Pick one of the Gospels and read it from start to finish over the course of Lent. (After Easter read Acts of the Apostles.)
   
   
6. Read one or more spiritual books. May I suggest The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen -- the ultimate Lenten book about the ultimate Lenten parable.
   
   
7. Go on a retreat. Doesn’t have to be an organized thing with a group of people necessarily, it could be just you taking some alone time to be with God in a place away from your usual earthly distractions. If you live in central North Carolina or south central Virginia, I highly recommend the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center near Stoneville, NC.
   
   
8. Join a Bible study group.
   
   
9. There are a ton of Bible study resources on the Web. I’ve been using Bible.org off and on, and listened to an entire sermon on the seventh and eighth chapters of Mark last night. See if you can find one that resonates with you.
   
   
10. Listen to Christian music. There are loads of musicians out there making great music about the Gospel, and their music can be a great way to bring us closer to God. On the contemporary Christian front, some artists to check out are Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, Building 429, Casting Crowns, Tree 63, David Crowder Band, Aaron Shust, MercyMe, and good ol’ Rich Mullins. Country and bluegrass also offer some great, if more traditional tunes, from the likes of Doc Watson (What A Friend We Have In Jesus – a cappella – wow), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Stanley Brothers, Amy Grant, Alison Krauss and Union Station (There Is a Reason, A Living Prayer). And don’t forget those classic Catholic liturgical tunemeisters The St. Louis Jesuits, Marty Haugen, David Haas, Ed Bolduc, and Jesse Manibusan.

Tomorrow I’ll offer some thoughts on fasting, then finish up on Friday with almsgiving. In the meantime I’d love to hear your thoughts and additions to the list. What else have you tried, especially during Lent, that you found powerful?