01/15/2019
LENT. March 9, 2019
There are FIVE WEEKS remaining before Lent 2019. Let’s get ready!
Week 1: Practice Purity of Intention
We recently celebrated the feast of St. Agnes, who is venerated for her purity. But purity can go beyond the mandates of the 6th and 9th commandment. Let us also reflect on our intentions during this week before we take an action – is this task, conversation, or recreation I am about to undertake done for the greater glory of God, or is it self-serving?
Week 2: Practice Silence
In Lamentations, and throughout scripture, the preference for us to be silent in prayer and meditation is a recurring theme; “It is good to wait with silence for the salvation of God” (Lam. 3:26) This week, make an effort once a day to allow another to speak, or to refrain from an idle comment. We may be surprised at the frequency this happens. St. Joseph is also a shining example: be silent, allowing others to shine more than you.
Week 3: Practice Gratitude
This week make it a practice to find ordinary things throughout the day to be grateful for. It could be gratitude to another, say a coworker for a task they perform daily and it has become so routine we don’t offer anything beyond the mumbled “thanks.” Or it could be a small prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gifts of health, family, a Catholic education for our children, or stable employment. And as we come closer to Lent, let us be especially grateful to Our Lord and His priests for the unbound mercy in the confessional.
Week 4: Say the Angelus
In churches and priories, the practice of saying the Angelus is common. In homes and our daily lives, it is less so. At first, we can make it a habit to say it just once a day – maybe after we wake with our morning prayers. Then, add it to your lunchtime and dinner routine, so along with the Church, we can unite ourselves to Our Blessed Mother three times each day.
Week 5: Share Our Faith
Mention "apostolizing" and we’ll get an eye roll. The door-to-door evangelists and placard-carrying preachers have made a parody out of the true sense of apostilization. But no socially-awkward means are needed! It can be a casual mention of our favorite feast day, or the fact that Lent is around the corner. Also, there's nothing wrong with responding to a water cooler greeting with, "My day's going great - I was able to get to Mass this morning which really helped, then..." and carry on the conversation. For a closer friend, an easy invitation to one (or several) of the beautiful liturgical ceremonies during Lent would be a minor task - yet one that could yield eternal fruit. Being a simple, cheerful, serious ambassador of Catholicism is the duty of us all, and the greatest way of spreading beauty and Truth.
