Lent is one of my favorite times of year. Maybe that sounds crazy, but I love discipline, I love religious practices, and I love times that unite our community. I’m not unilaterally opposed to giving up candy for Lent, but I encourage everyone to combine other Lenten commitments to make the time truly transformative. Some suggestions:
Experience Art
By making time for music, literature, and visual art, we can focus our prayer during the season. Go to a museum, browse photography online, or practice spiritual reading.
The Benedictines of Mary Queen of the Apostles have a new collection of vocal music out for Lent, a companion to their phenomenal Advent at Ephesus titled Lent at Ephesus. Their Advent album helped center my celebration of that season, and I look forward to using this newest recording in my prayer this spring.
If spiritual reading is your bent, I recommend anthologies of T.S. Eliot, Mary Oliver or Gerard Manley Hopkins. Their poems have been indispensible on my spiritual journey. If you have other suggestions please leave them in the comments!
Spend time with Scripture
Years ago I bought an English-language breviary in Rome, and though I don’t use it as often as I ought, it comes out every Lent. Every Evening Prayer fills me with psalmody and welcomes me into the prayer of the universal Church.
Many excellent prayer books structure themselves around Scripture. The Sacred Space books include a daily reading, and the 3-minute retreats include a scriptural nugget. Both of these offer reflection questions as well to guide prayer.
Write
For years I kept a journal that was specifically a prayer journal, until I realized that most of my writing is prayer, regardless of where it is done. Since I am focusing more on my prayer life during Lent, I commit to journaling every evening to process some of the spiritual work that I am doing during the day.
I know a lot of my readers are also writers, and you might feel as I often do, that it is hard to write more at the end of a day when I have already tried to pound out 500 unrelated words. Tips or tricks for using your words at the end of the day?
Abstain
This is the classic Lenten commitment, by my observation. I see the value in giving up ice cream or candy as a way to sanctify the time, but I have experienced more profound refining by challenging myself to abstain from more detrimental things.
This will be my tenth year giving up alcohol during Lent. Drinking is a significant part of my social (and culinary) life, in a healthy and moderate way. Perhaps booze plays a similar role in your life: it’s not overwhelming, but it’s ubiquitous. Taking a break is jarring in the best possible way: it is a sacrifice of something I enjoy, it is cleansing, and wrenches me from habit.
Another abstinence challenge is gossip. I have one close colleague with whom I share this challenge during Lent. I don’t always succeed in every aspect of my life, but at work I am held accountable by the person with whom I spend the most time during the day. (Confession: we have learned a way around this by occasionally “stating facts” during the day without commentary. This cheat is usually prefaced with “I have to state a fact”.)
Add in something good
Bonus points if it’s at the same time every day.
What if every morning the first thing you did, before coffee, before a shower, was to drink a glass of water? And what if you set an intention for the day during that time? What if you offered God gratitude for the day during that time?
Another idea: instead of singing happy birthday to make sure you have washed your hands for an appropriate amount of time, say an Our Father instead.
Eat an apple every day. Pray the rosary.
Connect
If you can, make time for people during Lent. Go out for tea after mass. Call an old friend. Listen to an acquaintance or student who has a need to unload.
As people living in community, our relationships are part of what bring us closer to God. We all have relationships that don’t build us up, and we often spend so much effort trying to maintain many relationships (hello, Facebook) that we don’t deepen the most important ones. I am guilty of this.
Give
Rather than letting solicitations pile up from the handful of charities I support every year, I am making my gifts as Lent begins. I also try to keep a few singles handy so that I can give to the panhandlers I see too often.
Generosity can be tricky. Everyone is in a different financial position and state in life. One thing I try to keep in mind is God’s abundance. God gives and gives and gives. I need to find a way to do the same thing. How does generosity fit into your life?
It would be maddening to attempt to fit everyone of these ideas into my life, but I attempt to keep most of them in my mind as I journey toward Easter. This reminds me constantly that this time is sacred, set aside for my repentant renewal. It’s a beautiful time, and I find that God works in me in new ways when I make new habits.
How will you be observing Lent this year?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to some of my favorite books and music. Purchases made through these links put some change in my piggy bank at no cost to you.
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Most years I have observed a fast. American style, so it’s hardly anything crazy. But carrying a slight edge of hunger continuously keeps constant the awareness of living consciously.
I was thinking this year of also writing a diary. A real diary where I strip out any shame about going into boring detail, facing judgments I’ve made for good or ill and skipping any attempts to be clever, and direct it all to God. Whether I’m filled with love, consumed by hate or just bored, I want to tell God all about it. I make a ton of notes for myself at the end of the day and keep a number of journals tracking activities, slips of dream and imagination, project statuses etc. So adding at least 10 minutes in another notebook hopefully won’t be tough.
I am also thinking of cleaning one thing out of the usual every day. Tidy the desk top, scrub the microwave, pick up the closet floor, etc. We’ll see on this one. It’s sounds the most like work. };>
I love those ideas! I think the last one could be a fantastic exercise in mindfulness. And keep writing that journal!
Lent is also a favorite time of mine. Lent and Advent… I love Lent for its intensity, so this Lent I expect once again to be as intense as I can in my love of and for Godde.
Thank you for the inspiration you share here.
Thank you! I try to find small ways to observe Advent as well, but Lent is a truly special time.
I have to state a fact: I love this post, particularly the gossip workaround.
As part of my Lenten almsgiving, I give you permission to use that workaround.
Thanks for the wonderful post. I’d like to offer Catholic educators some insight into making Lent fruitful, on my website. I’d like to also offer my own lesson for Catholic children. May I give you credit for this fabulous article and link my readers to it? I’ll cover the children’s lesson and give you credit for advising teachers?
Please respond to my previous question at the post and @ julia@godisgoodvbs.com
I would be delighted to be included on one of your posts. Thank you so much!
Thank you for all these great suggestions.
I also love the poetry of Jessica Powers and Robert Morneau and most especially Anne Porter!
Great suggestions. I’ll be sure to check them out. Thanks!
This is a lovely post. This will be the second year that I will be making a prayer blanket for a friend in need of a lot of prayer. I love the idea of joining my prayer with my stitches and of doing something fruitful for lent that is not for me. The books I re-read during lent are “Tuesdays with Morrie” because we all need a teacher like Morrie – “Have a little Faith”, also by Mitch Albom and “In this House of Brede” by Rumer Godden because it is so beautifully written and uplifting and my staple is Sister Wendy Beckett’s book on Prayer which ties art with prayer.
What a great practice! I too find it helpful to do some of the same things year after year. Happy stitching!
A few years ago, when life was particularly difficult, there seemed to be very little day-to-day comfort and I found myself totally stumped as to what to do for Lent. There didn’t seem to be anywhere I could trim or any more left to give. My sister-in-law, who is not a practising Catholic, suggested that I try and be nice to myself for the Lenten period instead of my usual austerity.
Her idea really struck a chord with me and instead of my normal routine in which I gave up alcohol and sugar I spent time most days basking in how much God loves me. I listened to music and read books that reminded me of God’s love for me personally and I actively tried to be less harsh in my self-criticism. It ended up being a really transformative lenten season.
It’s not something I do every year because, happily, life has moved on from that dark space but I would certainly recommend it to others who are facing similar struggles.
Oh, I just love this story! What an excellent example.
One thing I have done is write a note every day to a different person. “I’m thinking of you”, or “thank you for what you do” or ” I remember ______and I’m remembering with you” kinds of notes. After a while it becomes a great joy to try and observe the things I might ordinarily skip past. Mindfulness is a great gift. And p.s., love the work gossip thing!
How lovely! A practice for yourself that benefits others so clearly. Have a wonderful Lent!
Well said, Margaret! Thanks for the suggestions.
Thanks Don!
For me Lent is a time to reflect on love. The journey that my beloved Jesus embarked on leading to the passion week, if for me the greatest love story of all times. That I am loved so much that a life was given freely for me, the cleansing flow of forgiveness permeating my heart. How can I respond to such a love, what can I do to show my gratitude.
For me Lent is a time to reflect on love. The journey that my beloved Jesus embarked on leading to the passion week, is for me the greatest love story of all times. That I am loved so much that a life was given freely for me, the cleansing flow of forgiveness permeating my heart. How can I respond to such a love, what can I do to show my gratitude.
God’s love for us is a more than suitable reflection for Lent. Thank you for reminding me of this important element of our prayer.
Margaret,
Lots to think about in this post!
Thank you!
Have a blessed week!
Jim
You too Jim, thanks!