Who practices lent?

[shep]

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday which means no meat this wednesday or friday's until Easter..

I have been going to DW's church(Southern baptist) but we still observe it..

 

[JAP]

I am a practicing Catholic and celebrate the Easter season with the start of lent.

 

[MAC3]

I do every year faithfully. I even give up sweets. Gee I hope my Girl scout cookies come tomorrow? lol
DH doesn't, my daughter chooses to do it. Even tries to give something up.

It's interesting to see how many practice?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I don't practice lent. I did when I was Catholic but since I have been through a couple other denominations I no longer feel it's necessary. It will be interesting to see the replies.

 

[FOJMO]

Practicing, active Catholic here. No meat on Ash Wednesday or any Friday in Lent. Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I even remember when we couldn't have meat on Fridays ALL YEAR LONG, not just during Lent.

I choose not to "give something up". I'd rather try to do something positive, hoping that it will then become habit for me. This year, I'm going to really try to be nice to my DH. I find myself criticizing him when he doesn't deserve it and finding fault. He's too good to me. I'm hoping that then, even after Lent is over, I'll be able to find it easier to do. It's sort of like a New Year's resolution.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I usually take on some kind of discipline. Not necessarily to do with food. I haven't decided yet for this year.

 

[RUDisney]

We practice Lent. There were two years that we gave up meat for the entire 40 days. During the second year, I had gotten far busier at work and it became more and more difficult to prepare meatless dishes instead of throwing a burger on the grill. I vowed to only fast on Ash Wednesday and on Lenten Fridays.

When my DH and I were going to our Pre Cana class, they had us play a game to see how well we knew one another. The game was based on the Newlywed Game. The winners got to take the gifts up to the altar during the Mass that closed the Pre Cana session. We won, but the last question was the trickiest. I was asked on what non-obligation day would my DH never, ever, miss Mass. The choices were Ash Wednesday, Thanksgiving and Good Friday. My logic was that he's more interested in turkey and football on Thanksgiving and Good Friday is a sad Mass, so he'd choose Ash Wednesday. He did to give us a sweep of all of the questions.

We are at Mass at 6:45 a.m. on Ash Wednesday. The mean old priest gives ashes first, then conducts the Mass, so if you're late, you lose.

 

[snoopy]

We are also Catholics who practice lent.

As Merry Poppins said, I usually try and change some aspect of my personality that may need changing, rather than give up a particular food or other luxury. This year I plan to quit cussing. (its gonna be hard when I am driving in traffic and no one is around to here me but God! )

 

[mamajoan]

sorry to admit that my active church going has taken a dismal toll this past year. However my faith remains intact.

Lent is a special season for me, I like to use it to teach my children about giving up something so that someone else may benefit. As Christ did so for mankind.
This year I am planning to use Friday night pizza money to donate to the women's shelter here in town. We have chosen this as a family project. Instead of Pizza we will be having "soup night". I am hoping that this will be a good thing for my teens to be a part of..

Happy Fat Tuesday to all those who are Mardi gra'''ing!!

 

[Steve H.]

We practice as far as the no meat on Ash Wed. and Fridays goes, but don't usually give up something.

 

[BethR]

Oh we do! As a matter of fact the Great Fast ( for Byzantines and other Eastern Rite Catholics and the Orthodox) started today.
Lent - 40 days from today to the Friday before Palm Sunday.
Holy Week is another even more intensive fasting period.
Sundays are not outside the the fast as in the Roman Catholic Tradition.

Eastern Christians stress Prayer, Fasting (from something that you like - be it foods or be it TV, etc.), and Almsgiving (acts of charity particularly towards the poor) during Lent.

The "traditional" fast of the Eastern Christians is no meat or dairy products until Easter. The vast majority of us no longer follow that tradition not are we obliged to, but are obligated to go meatless and dairyless today and Great Friday. And no meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Our priest spoke on this yesterday and said that if PREFERRED seafoods and pasta to meat that going meatless is not really a good fast at all and that you should chose something else.

I really do love celebrating the season of Lent. Preparing for Easter makes that Holiest of Days so much more Joyful!


A Blessed Lent, All.

 

[catsrule]

Well, I was raised Catholic but don't go to church anymore. I do still do the lent meat thing though, because I feel guilty if I don't. I was raised doing it and some how, this stuck.

 

[MAC3]

Originally posted by FOJMO
I choose not to "give something up". I'd rather try to do something positive,

Great Idea!

 

[Jenzebelle]

I was raised to eat no meat at all during lent, and I try to follow that as much as possible

 

[believe]

I observe, even though I am Baptist (as DH stated). He was raised Catholic and I really think this time helps me to refocus my life on my Saviour. It is more difficult since I don't like fish and I can't have cheese pizza. I also try to do something that helps me grow spiritually. One year I went to the hospital chapel where I worked every work day and spent additional time in prayer. I try to continue even after lent, lent is just my encouragement. I haven't decided this year.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>
BethR - thank you for your explanation - that was so interesting.


The rascals and I typically attend Sunday, 5:30pm Mass. Yesterday, our pastor handed out little black books to help in prayer during Lent. After Mass, we went to dinner, and I pulled out the book. It's supposed to take 6 minutes of each day to do whatever prayer. I'm not sure what is in the book since we just started it yesterday. The beginning of the book helps prepare for Lent.

The kids & I drafted what we planned to do for/during Lent. My ds said that he will dedicate more time to prayer, my dd said she'd give up chocolate (and right now, she LOVES chocolate). They also had a couple of other things they listed. We then talked about what we would do as a family.

These are my/our goals during Lent:

* Fast on Ash Wednesday/Good Friday
* Abstain from meat on Fridays
* Attend prayer on Fridays, concentrating on Stations of the Cross, the rosary, and followed by having soup in the church hall with other parishioners
* Every night have a meal as a family (which we don't do right now). I wanted to do this at 6pm, but the kids voted on 7:30, where we will have supper, then do our black book, and read the Gospels - each taking turns.
** This also means giving up fast food altogether, because I will be making the meals and we will eat together.

One of my goals is to use this season to really try hard to release some of the resentment I have towards their dad. He will never make up for money he's never paid, and it's time for me to let that go, and concentrate on the blessings I have in life.

Tonight we'll go over our preliminary plan, and add anything we would like to do during this season.

 

[helenabear]

Yes, even though I seem to be slipping on the church thing (personal issues I am having with my church) I will still practice the rules according to the Roman Catholic Church. I do not give things up for Lent and I haven't in years... instead I try to find a way to better myself. I just feel I get more out of bettering myself than doing something I'll go right on back to doing 40 days later.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

Yes, we observe Lent. Even though we are no longer Catholic and attend our local Congregational church, we will go for our ashes Wed. night and no meat will be eaten on the appropriate days. I will also try doing something else rather than give something up this year. I would really like to read out of my Bible daily...that is my goal. I have never read it and think I really need to.

 

[Kermit]

I usually try to do something for Lent, even though I've never attended a church that observes it. I usually try to do something good or give up something so that I have more time to do good things. 40 days is long enough to make something a habit, and I think all of us could use an occasional period of refocusing. I gave up the DIS one year. I had a much easier time getting the time I needed to spend my daily time with God.

I haven't decided for sure what to do this year, but I'm thinking about devoting time to praying for my husband each day. I have the book <i>Power of a Praying Wife</i>, and it shows how to think about each aspect of your husband's life and pray that God will be able to do great things in each of those aspects. I have a hard time remembering to pray for him sometimes for things that just involve him. It's easy to remember to pray for him in areas that affect us both, but this will help me to concentrate more on him and his role as breadwinner, father, and husband.

 

[glo]

We observe Lent. We will go to Ash Wednesday and Sunday Masses. The kids have the Lent boxes sent home from school, which they will put their own money in. We will all pick one thing to give up for Lent. I am not sure what I am giving up as I started my diet, and all the good food is out anyway, using that is not right. I feel what I give up should not be something easy or simple.

The kids and I have decided to make a few boxes for the troops and have the names of a few soldiers to send them too. MJ...I think I need to work on the same thing, especially lately. What is in my heart is not good and I have to let go too...Just tired of seeing my child hurt over and over


God Bless everyone this Lenten Season