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2 years ago ::
Apr 19, 2010 - 7:23PM
#43
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Why do anything for Lent. The idea of sacrifice is mistaken theology. See Matt. 9:13 where Jesus quoted an O.T. passage that said - "Go and learn the meaning of mercy; it is mercy I desire and not sacrifice." The teaching of Jesus was love, not sacrifice. So, all of our Lenten practices are misplaced and mistaken.
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2 years ago ::
Apr 11, 2010 - 10:24PM
#42
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Don't know what to do for lent but I fasted for four days once.
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2 years ago ::
Mar 21, 2010 - 11:55PM
#41
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Our church participates with others in community Lenton services: We rotate going to each others' services (in their faith tradition) with ministers speaking (other than from the hosting church), we share this with Roman Catholic,United Methodist,Congegational (UCC), Presbyterian,and Reformed (see our church's website on my profile)/ Personally I've been doing a study on CS Lewis, and some personal stuff...
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2 years ago ::
Mar 14, 2010 - 1:48PM
#40
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I normally give up something for Lent. One year I gave up chocolate. Another year I gave up pizza, etc. One year I didn't give up anything. I drew closer to God via more personal prayers. This year I tried to give up coffee, then I started feeling weird. 
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2 years ago ::
Feb 25, 2010 - 2:43PM
#39
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Do you have a link to a page where that is from? Also, what do you think, in your own words?
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2 years ago ::
Feb 25, 2010 - 2:16PM
#38
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Lent is the most important time of the year to nurture our
inner life. It is the time during which we not only prepare
ourselves to celebrate the mystery of the death and
resurrection of Jesus, but also the death and resurrection
that constantly takes place within us. Life is a continuing
process of the death of the old and the familiar, and being
reborn again into a new hope, a new trust, and a new love.
The death and resurrection of Jesus therefore is not just an
historical event that took place a long time ago, but an
inner event that takes place in our heart when we are
willing to be attentive to it. . . .
Lent offers a beautiful opportunity to discover the mystery
of Christ within us. It is a gentle but also demanding
time. It is a time of solitude but also community, it is a
time of listening to the voice within, but also a time of
paying attention to other people's needs. It is a time to
continuously make the passage to new inner life as well as
to life with those around us.
When we live Lent attentively and gently, then Easter can
truly be a celebration during which the full proclamation of
the risen Christ will reverberate into the deepest place of
our being.
Copyright ,Henri Nouwen
Just me
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2 years ago ::
Feb 25, 2010 - 1:02PM
#37
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During Lent I try to do more....pray more, be kinder more...love more..get to Mass and really focus on my faith...what am I really in Church for? and extend it throughout the year.....
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2 years ago ::
Feb 23, 2010 - 6:57PM
#36
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Lent is one of my favorite times of the year ... favorite in the same way that the book of Job is my favorite book in the Bible. (I like a good reality check.) And when the pastor draws the cross on my brow with the ashes and says 'from dust you came and from dust you shall return'... well, that's a pretty good reality check. It reminds me that I'm a mortal, who falters, and that God came to me (to each of us) and turned our grief into glory by His work and by His will. So what am I actually doing for the whole season of Lent.... the kids and I are attending our church's Lenten services. At home, the kids and I are trying to give up our excesses, set aside a little extra giving on different levels and meditate on/talking about God's love and self sacrifice. It's a fantastic time of the year to brainstorm about service projects. This will be the first year that I will miss playing my flute for the Service of Darkness as my current work schedule will not allow it. I'm sad about that as it's something I look forward to, but it is what it is.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 23, 2010 - 9:36AM
#35
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As many of you know, the Orthodox practice for Lent is threefold: a renewed focus on fasting, prayer and charity. We also have many more opportunities for worship. The fasting guidelines are to avoid eating meat,eggs, dairy and olive oil, as one is able, and to do a little bit more than last year. We don't do this in a spirit of "giving up something for Lent," but rather like an athlete beginning a training regimen. If we can control ourselves regarding what we eat, then we are building up our "spiritual muscles" to be able to control ourselves in other areas. Our priest recommends that we also turn off the tv and read only edifying spiritual books, along with Holy Scripture. I found it surprisingly difficult to turn off the tv! St. John Chrysostom on fasting: "The value of fasting consists not only in avoiding certain foods, but in giving up of sinful practices. The person who limits his fast only to abstaining from meat is the one who especially lowers the value of it. Do you fast? Prove it by doing good works. If you see someone in need, take pity on them. If you see a friend being honored, don't get jealous of him or her. For a true fast, you cannot fast only with your mouth. You must fast with your eyes, your ears, your feet, your hands, and all parts of your body. You fast with your hands by keeping them pure from doing greedy things. You fast with your feet by not going to see forbidden shows or plays. You fast with your eyes by not letting them look upon impure pictures. Because if this is forbidden or unlawful, it mars your fast and threatens the safety of your soul. But if you look at things which are lawful and safe you increase your fast, for what you see with your eyes influences your conduct. It would be very stupid to eliminate or give up meat and other foods because of the fast but feed with your eyes upon other things which are forbidden. You don't eat meat, you say? But you allow yourself to listen to lewd things. You must fast with your ears, too. Another way of fasting with your ears is not to listen to those who speak evil or untrue things about others. "Thou shalt not receive an idle report. " This is especially true of rumors, gossip, untruths which are spoken to harm another. Besides fasting with your mouth by not eating certain foods, your mouth should also fast from foul language or telling lies about others. For what good is it if you don't eat meat or poultry, and yet you bite and devour your fellow man?"
“The Law of the Church is to give oneself to what is given not to seek one’s own.” Fr. Alexander Schmemann
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2 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2010 - 8:22PM
#34
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I'm also a movie nut, so for Lent, I will try to curb my need to see movies.
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