Traaditional Lenten Practices

Traditional Lenten Practices

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

www.missionstsergius.org

www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

Traditionally during the period of Lent all Catholics and many other Christian denominations have three practices they did during the 40 day period leading up to the celebration of Christ’s Passion and glorious Resurrection.

The three traditional practices are; Praying, Fasting and Almsgiving/Service.

I would like to suggest that during this Lenten season all those who read my reflections and subscribe to the Mission’s emails try sincerely to do the following as part of their Lenten practice and reflecting on how they are doing living in accord with the teachings of Christ.

For prayer I suggest spending fifteen minutes a day praying during Lent: give thanks to God for all your blessings, pray for a specific personal need prompted by the day's experience, and pray for those who are in need or suffering in your community and the world.

For Fasting I suggest No more than one complete meal may be eaten on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday by those between the ages of 18 and 59, health permitting and abstaining eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent, health permitting as well as abstaining from some guilty pleasure that you have and if it involves spending money donating what you would have spent to a charitable organization like your local food pantry or homeless shelter or to this ministry to help us in our outreach.
For Almsgiving/Service part of the previous suggestion for fasting is covered in this traditional practice but other things you might consider are; donate personal possessions, such as clothes, books, shoes, to people in need, working at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, helping people in your neighborhood such as the elderly, gather some friends or family to help volunteer at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter or nursing home several hours per week during Lent especially for those in Nursing homes who often times never get visitors, I hope to be able to make some Spring floral arrangements to distribute at the Nursing Homes I serve as Chaplain and to some of the very poor shut-ins I visit as I did at Christmas budget allowing.
As the Lenten Message my Primate Archbishop Richard G. Roy, OSJD sent to all the clergy of the church wrote; “It is my wish that during this time of repentance and renewal that we may all enter a closer union with Christ, our Lord, with the poor and despised of the world and with each other in the spiritual family that is The National Catholic Church of America.”

This Lent may you all enter into a closer relationship with our compassionate and merciful God and experience His infinite and abundant love more and more as you journey toward the celebration of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection which afforded us forgiveness of our sins and the promise of everlasting life with all the heavenly elect.