What are you doing for Lent?

[just_lily]

It is coming up fast - what are everyone's plans for Lent this year? Does your religion/denomination have specific requirements, or are you picking something on your own to "give up for Lent?"

We are trying to make a decision, and would love some ideas.

[Comtessa]

Oy! Lent! Already?! Good grief, you're right! Thanks for the reminder!

I often try to add something intentional to our life rather than just "giving up" something - though there's always something you end up "giving up" when you add something, I guess. One year, for example, I committed to going to daily Mass throughout Lent, as a way of "giving up" an hour of each day to prayer.

When I do give something up, I have found that it's more meaningful if I'm really intentional about doing it in a way that balances the scales of justice for people. For example, I gave up coffee one Lent. (I have a large, very expensive addiction.) I tallied up the money I saved by not buying coffee, and sent it to an organization that is working to bring just wages and working conditions to coffee farmers. That sort of thing.

I also like giving up something that I know hurts somebody else, so that my Lenten observance is also a remembrance of others' suffering and want. I hope that the Lenten observance can continue beyond Lent, too, and that I can give up my own luxury in order to make a bit more just of a world. DH and I have talked about halting our consumption of Coca-Cola, anything containing palm oil, and meat.

Our observance of Lent usually involves prayer on the theme of the desert - honoring the experience of thirst and want and "dry times." I often set out a prayer space in the house somewhere with some sand and rocks and dry sticks as a visual reminder of this theme.

[AFWife]

I haven't done Lent in years...My DH's denomination doesn't observe it so since we've been together I haven't thought about it.

I want to try this year but I have NO idea what I'm doing. I'll be hanging out in this thread!

(While we're discussing it does anyone have the Scriptural evidence for Lent?)

[Tradd]

As for Scriptural evidence for Lent, how about Christ's 40 days in the desert, being tempted by the devil, before His Baptism? I've also heard some mention Moses' 40 days fasting on the mountain before God gave him the Law.

I'm an Orthodox Christian and we observe Great Lent (as we call it, or the Great Fast, to differentiate it from the other three fasting seasons of the year) pretty heavy duty.

The triad from Matthew chapter 6 - prayer, fasting, and almsgiving - are the basis of our Lenten disciplines. Christ said "When you fast..." not "If."

Our fasting (when we use fast, we really mean limiting the TYPE of food, you're also not supposed to gorge yourself) is of a rigor that seems to astonish and appall many Western Christians. We essentially go vegan for all of Great Lent. We ease into it kind of gradually. The Sunday eight days before Great Lent begins is known as Meatfare Sunday - this was yesterday - the last day to eat meat before Pascha (as we call the Feast of Feasts, Christ's Resurrection). Now for this week is called Cheesefare week, until next Sunday (called Cheesefare Sunday), is a meat fast. We can eat all dairy - milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt - and fish in the Russian tradition, to which my parish belongs - every day this week, even on Wednesday and Friday, on which we fast virtually every week of the year. With the other three fasting seasons and W & F, we fast for about half the year.

Our fasting discpline is no meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, oil (some interpret this as all oil, others just as olive oil - depends on the tradition, whether Greek or Russian, for example), and wine (all alcohol). Shellfish is allowed - some think since it was the food of the poor in the Mediterranean countries where Orthodoxy was prevalent, although it's expensive in many places. I keep it for special occasions (such as my birthday which is during Lent). Fish is allowed on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and Palm Sunday. Oil and wine are allowed on weekends, and a few other special saints' days. It's common for people to eat only two meals a day (no breakfast) and to leave the table before becoming full. No in-between meals eating.

Of course, if you are pregnant, nursing, or have other medical issues (such as diabetes), the fast is mitigated for you. But you talk with your spiritual father (usually your parish priest) about how to deal with lessened fasting by other spiritual disciplines. I've known diabetics to only drink water during Lent, since they can't fast as the rest of us can.

Since our liturgical time is counted from sundown to sundown, as in Judaism, our Great Lent will actually begin with the Vespers (evening prayer) service next Sunday evening. We have a rite of forgiveness, where all those present will ask forgiveness of everyone else - the response is "God forgives." Nice way to begin Lent.

There are services several times a week in the evening, in addition to the normal Saturday evening Vespers and Sunday Divine Liturgy. During the first week of Lent, there are services each evening. During Holy Week, there are even more services. One of the most beautiful of the Lenten services is the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (on Wednesdays and Fridays only, and M-W of Holy Week). It's a Communion service with consecrated bread and wine from the previous Sunday combined with Vespers.

Our Lent has the theme of "bright sadness." An excellent short book to read on Orthodox Lent (probably in your library) is Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann.

From eating more simply during the fast, we save money, which we then give to the poor. It can be done a variety of ways. My parish always has a barrel for canned goods for our local food pantry. You might donate to a homeless shelter, even do some volunteering yourself at a meal for the homeless, or even give $$ or a grocery gift card directly to someone you know in need.

You're also supposed to increase your personal prayer, in addition to attending more services. Confession during Lent is an absolute necessity. The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian is said daily M-F during Great Lent:

O Lord and Master of my life: take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power and idle talk.

But grant rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

For some short but good explanations on Orthodox Great Lent, begin here:
http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=65 and just click through to the following sections.

Personally, in addition to daily Scripture readings (the Psalms are an especially important part of Scripture to be read during Great Lent), my Sunday morning adult class will be reading a wonderful small book (100 pages) Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander. It's by a 20th Century Orthodox author on applying the ancient ascetical tradition to modern life. For my own reading, The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus (6th-7th Century). This book is NOT for the newbie! There's some very heavy spiritual stuff in there. This book has been traditional Lenten reading for both monastics (often read aloud) and laity for centuries. I'll also be at every service - Saturday Vespers, Sunday Divine Liturgy, Wednesday Presanctified, and Friday Vespers - but I'm a choir member and this is part of my responsibilities. You simply make your faith and service attendance the number one priority.

I *love* Great Lent. It's definitely something to be experienced. Yes, the fasting can take a bit getting used to - it's definitely challenging - but the long fast, all of Holy Week, and then the glorious Matins and Divine Liturgy at midnight on Pascha - when you come into the church ablaze with light after the long dark Holy Week and the midnight procession in the dark with candles on Pascha - that first "Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!" exchanged between the priest and the congregation is an experience that I can't describe. It's the most glorious service of the year. Lots of us actually feel a "liturgical letdown" after Pascha. It's weird, but it does happen!

ETA: in addition to our fasting from food, you're supposed to fast from sin, period. But we're human, so we don't stop sinning, but things like gossip, being mean, etc. - things we can control, are definitely on the list of things not to do!

ETA 2!: One of the things I love about Orthodoxy is that the Lenten disciplines have been the same way for *centuries.* There's no deciding what to "give up" because it's already there. I've got Catholic and Protestant friends who just agonize themselves into absolute knots each year over what to give up for Lent. The stress they go through is incredible.

[Attila the Honey]

I am in the process of returning to the catholic church after 20+ years away, and I am using Lent as a time to pray and evaluate if this is the right path for me and concentrating on spiritual growth. I am intending to:

1.Give up all cookies, cakes, candies, ice creams, pies, doughnuts - no loopholes, if it's desserty and sugary, I am not eating it for 40 days.

2.Give up complaining and focus on gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.)

3.Attend the stations of the cross at least once, weekly if possible.

4.Continue to write daily in my prayer journal

5.Pray the rosary daily

6.Go to church every Sunday

7.Attend Cathechism classes

8.Meet with a priest (watch, I will wait until the last possible opportunity to do this!)

9.Partake of the sacrament of reconciliation (likewise)

10.Fast on Fridays (I have to figure out the details. It's impossible for me to fast completely with the medications I take, I would be sicker than a dog all day. I might limit it to fruit only on Fridays.)

[suzywan]

Giving up booze and criticism (it will be a quiet 40 days at the least )
fasting on Fridays
confession
stations of the cross at least once
attending the Tridium services
Easter Vigil

[lilyka]

Originally Posted by suzywan

Giving up booze and criticism (it will be a quiet 40 days at the least )

that made me giggle.

I am Orthodox so Lent has already unofficially began for us. SO EARLY this year!!!!! This week we gave up meat but can still eat dairy and wine and olive oil and fish. Next sunday dairy and olive oil , fish and wine are out as well. I have one last bottle of wine. I am trying to decide if I can polish it off before Sunday without wrecking my diet... The whole meat/dairy thing is not hard for me as I am vegan but gees, i'm gonna miss wine.

i also plan to make it to every presanctified Liturgy this year (I love them so much but Wednesday nights are hard.). And to focus more on prayer.

[just_lily]

I'll be back to post more later, but thanks for the responses so far. One question though - what is/are the stations of the cross? I am not Catholic, clearly.

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by just_lily

I'll be back to post more later, but thanks for the responses so far. One question though - what is/are the stations of the cross? I am not Catholic, clearly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

Most of the Episcopal parishes I belonged to (I moved around some) even did these.

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by Attila the Honey

10.Fast on Fridays (I have to figure out the details. It's impossible for me to fast completely with the medications I take, I would be sicker than a dog all day. I might limit it to fruit only on Fridays.)

If you physically cannot do it, don't! The Orthodox teach that to take on more than you're ready for can be harmful both physically *and* spiritually!

You might find this link helpful:

http://www.usccb.org/lent/index-2010-J9.shtml

The "How we live" link has the Catholic fasting rules.

[Attila the Honey]

Thank you, Tradd!

Having been a vegetarian for many years, I felt that not eating meat wasn't enough for me. (I am no longer a vegetarian, but I don't eat meat very often at all.) I wanted to fast a bit "more", but not to the point where it was harmful.

I still haven't worked out how I will fast - I see it says there it's acceptable to eat one full meal a day. I think I could manage that. The real issue is having food to take with my medications. It's something to think about. Thank you again!

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by Attila the Honey

Thank you, Tradd!

Having been a vegetarian for many years, I felt that not eating meat wasn't enough for me. (I am no longer a vegetarian, but I don't eat meat very often at all.) I wanted to fast a bit "more", but not to the point where it was harmful.

I still haven't worked out how I will fast - I see it says there it's acceptable to eat one full meal a day. I think I could manage that. The real issue is having food to take with my medications. It's something to think about. Thank you again!

You're welcome! Here's just a situation from my own experience. The Orthodox fast for Communion on Sunday morning from midnight the night before (I believe traditional Catholics keep the same Communion fast). At times I've had antibiotics to take - and they need to be taken with some food if they make you nauseous (and this particular med ALWAYS did). My priest at the time (I'm now in a different parish, but current priest is also commonsensical) told me that meds are ALWAYS to be taken - they're for your health and so don't violate the pre-Communion fast. I was told to take the meds with a few crackers, a piece of bread - something small like that. If you've been taking this med for a while, I'll assume you've listened to your body and know just how much food you have to take with it. So, have some crackers or a piece of bread with meds along with water, and just don't stress about it.

Spiritual disciplines are for our good, not to make us ill. Even the ascetical fathers said that when it came to fasting - as in how much food, not what type - there was no hard rule for everyone. Some could go on a little, and others needed a bit more, otherwise they injured their bodies. St. John Chrysostom (+407 AD) is known to have been too-zealous a faster in his youth and was somewhat delicate physically the rest of his life.

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by Tradd

The triad from Matthew chapter 6 - prayer, fasting, and almsgiving - are the basis of our Lenten disciplines. Christ said "When you fast..." not "If."

Our fasting (when we use fast, we really mean limiting the TYPE of food, you're also not supposed to gorge yourself) is of a rigor that seems to astonish and appall many Western Christians. We essentially go vegan for all of Great Lent. We ease into it kind of gradually. The Sunday eight days before Great Lent begins is known as Meatfare Sunday - this was yesterday - the last day to eat meat before Pascha (as we call the Feast of Feasts, Christ's Resurrection). Now for this week is called Cheesefare week, until next Sunday (called Cheesefare Sunday), is a meat fast. We can eat all dairy - milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt - and fish in the Russian tradition, to which my parish belongs - every day this week, even on Wednesday and Friday, on which we fast virtually every week of the year. With the other three fasting seasons and W & F, we fast for about half the year.

Our fasting discpline is no meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, oil (some interpret this as all oil, others just as olive oil - depends on the tradition, whether Greek or Russian, for example), and wine (all alcohol). Shellfish is allowed - some think since it was the food of the poor in the Mediterranean countries where Orthodoxy was prevalent, although it's expensive in many places. I keep it for special occasions (such as my birthday which is during Lent). Fish is allowed on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and Palm Sunday. Oil and wine are allowed on weekends, and a few other special saints' days. It's common for people to eat only two meals a day (no breakfast) and to leave the table before becoming full. No in-between meals eating.

A good friend of mine fasts in the way you describe during Lent. I admire her for that because, for me, food is almost an addiction.

I truly wish I could give up food for Lent sometimes because I believe I have made it an idol. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this, as it could help me to hear opinions from a Biblical perspective.

Anyhow, we do give something up in my church for Lent. It has been powerful for me in the past. I try to give up the biggest time sucker in my life. In the past it has been television and gossip magazines *which are not good for more than just the time issue*. I never really went back to watching that much TV after giving it up. Even kept the cable off for years. So I feel that Lent helped me discover other ways to spend my time and energy in a more positive way.

Right now I suppose the internet is important to me. Perhaps I could give that up.

But food, oh, the food. How I wish I could give up food for 40 days. My doctor isn't on board with me fasting in general. I have tried for a day before but I get so dizzy and feel faint. I think most of it is my weak spirit, more than anything else.

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by Tradd

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

Most of the Episcopal parishes I belonged to (I moved around some) even did these.

We actually do this at my church, and I am Protestant.

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by Bunnyflakes

A good friend of mine fasts in the way you describe during Lent. I admire her for that because, for me, food is almost an addiction.

I truly wish I could give up food for Lent sometimes because I believe I have made it an idol. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this, as it could help me to hear opinions from a Biblical perspective.

Anyhow, we do give something up in my church for Lent. It has been powerful for me in the past. I try to give up the biggest time sucker in my life. In the past it has been television and gossip magazines *which are not good for more than just the time issue*. I never really went back to watching that much TV after giving it up. Even kept the cable off for years. So I feel that Lent helped me discover other ways to spend my time and energy in a more positive way.

Right now I suppose the internet is important to me. Perhaps I could give that up.

But food, oh, the food. How I wish I could give up food for 40 days. My doctor isn't on board with me fasting in general. I have tried for a day before but I get so dizzy and feel faint. I think most of it is my weak spirit, more than anything else.

I put the TV in a closet for my first Christmas Fast right before I became Orthodox six years ago. I ended up selling it to a friend. I've been TV free ever since.

Please note that when we say "fast" we really mean "abstinence" from certain types of foods. Some people do an all-day fast thing - or at least until the evening - on Clean Monday (first day of Great Lent) or Good Friday, but a lot of people I know just eat really sparingly on those days. They do *not* go without food. For heaven's sake, if you get faint, don't do it. Try three small, simple, spare meals and no snacks. I've heard too many stories of people trying too much and ending up sick, or worse, in the hospital.

[just_lily]

So DF and I were discussing this again last night, and we have both decided to give up meat. This is a REALLY big sacrifice for him - me not as much, other than I have to figure out what to cook, but he is definitely a meat-loving kind of guy.

At first he wasn't too keen on giving up something that would be so difficult, but our Pastor has been doing a series of sermons from the book of Malachi. One of the themes was that the people were sending their sick and lame animals as sacrifices - so something that didn't really cost them anything at all - and the Lord was less than pleased about it. So we decided that if we are going to fast or sacrifice something, we are going to make it count.

I used to always joke that I was giving up smoking for Lent - I have never had a cigarette in my life.

I am also thinking of giving up drinks other than water, but can't decide on what to do about coffee. I may allow myself one cup in the morning or something, and then just water.

The Stations of the Cross is interesting - I take it there is a special service that is based on that? I wish we had extra services - there will be one on Good Friday, but that is it. One thing I admire about Catholocism is the fact that you can go to services every day if you desire. Sometimes I wish I could go to something during the week and just have to muddle through on my own. Our church recently did a week of prayer, having prayer-based services every night and it was fantastic. I went three times and my DF went twice (we had to trade off because of DD) and we both got a lot out of it.

[moonshoes]

Catholic here!

This year I am pregnant during Lent, my duedate is March 18th, so I have to do things a little differently. Usually, I fast on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent and give up meat altogether, but that is not possible.

This year, I am paying more attention to other things. For example, I will attend daily mass (with interruption for childbirth, of course) and also spend one hour a day at Adoration. I also plan to spend much of my prayer time meditating on the Passion of Our Lord, and on the sorrows of His Most Blessed Mother. I pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary on Tuesdays and Fridays, but I will be praying it daily. (For those of you not familiar with it, this has some information)

I also will be giving up Facebook in order to attend to my spiritual work.

[MyLittleWonders]

I am focusing on prayers - not just the comforting prayer before bedtime that helps me fall asleep (or beginning the Rosary as I'm falling asleep), but sacrificing "my" morning time (usually the computer is my first stop in the morning), and using that time for prayer instead.

Moonshoes - I just prayed the Seven Sorrows for the first time last Saturday night. What a powerful experience it is. I like the idea of doing it daily for Lent.

[mtiger]

Also Orthodox here. I fast traditionally, but have been more lax in my requirements for the kids. This year, my daughter (who will turn 16 during Lent) has said that she will fast with me.

[AFWife]

I've decided to do Lent this year...

Goals: Church Regularly (we aren't going at all right now...still trying to find a church home), No Soda (it's my addiction and weakness!), and I'm not saying the F Word (my favorite of all the swear words...I use it WAY too much and my DS is starting to understand things...)