Lent

As I am sure that you are all aware, Lent begins tomorrow.  I have always observed Lent, but it is a very big deal in the Catholic Church.  For instance, I will fast tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, and I will not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.  Since I was pregnant last year, I forgot what the definition of fasting was in the Catholic Church (it is NOT not eating all day).  Here is a pretty good explanation from EWTN's website:

Fasting The law of fasting requires a Catholic from the 18th Birthday [Canon 97] to the 59th Birthday [i.e. the beginning of the 60th year, a year which will be completed on the 60th birthday] to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. Such fasting is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The fast is broken by eating between meals and by drinks which could be considered food (milk shakes, but not milk). Alcoholic beverages do not break the fast; however, they seem contrary to the spirit of doing penance.

The same website also describes the reasoning behind fasting and abstaining from meat.  It also talked about the traditional "giving something up for Lent" idea:


It is a traditional doctrine of Christian spirituality that a constituent part of repentance, of turning away from sin and back to God, includes some form of penance, without which the Christian is unlikely to remain on the narrow path and be saved (Jer. 18:11, 25:5; Ez.  18:30, 33:11-15; Joel 2:12; Mt. 3:2; Mt. 4:17; Acts 2:38). Christ Himself said that His disciples would fast once He had departed (Lk. 5:35). The general law of penance, therefore, is part of the law of God for man.
Aside from these minimum penitential requirements Catholics are encouraged to impose some personal penance on themselves at other times. It could be modeled after abstinence and fasting. A person could, for example, multiply the number of days they abstain. Some people give up meat entirely for religious motives (as opposed to those who give it up for health or other motives). Some religious orders, as a penance, never eat meat. Similarly, one could multiply the number of days that one fasted. The early Church had a practice of a Wednesday and Saturday fast. This fast could be the same as the Church's law (one main meal and two smaller ones) or stricter, even bread and water. Such freely chosen fasting could also consist in giving up something one enjoys - candy, soft drinks, smoking, that cocktail before supper, and so on. This is left to the individual.
One final consideration. Before all else we are obliged to perform the duties of our state in life. When considering stricter practices than the norm, it is prudent to discuss the matter with one's confessor or director. Any deprivation that would seriously hinder us in carrying out our work, as students, employees or parents would be contrary to the will of God.

So the question becomes, what should I do in honor of Lent.  In the past I have done the typical things like give up chocolate, caffeine, and the like.  And that was definitely a sacrifice - especially considering that my birthday is during Lent so some years I didn't even have a cake!  But this year, I wanted to do something different.  I always go to Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent.  It is one of my favorite things in the Catholic Church.  They go through all the stages of Christ being convicted, carrying the cross, and finally dying.  It is very powerful and a perfect reminder of what Lent is all about.  So I will definitely do that again.  But my cousin Louisa challenged me even more - to do something "spiritual" for Lent that will last far longer than giving up chocolate.  She suggested that I try to read the Bible every day for 30 minutes.  So I am going to try.  My time is very precious and it may be late each night that I do it, but I will try.  That is all I can ask of myself.