Do you give something up for lent? It's a common misconception that the Church requires us to – it doesn't. As kids though, we always did. And get this: We gave up TV. Yup. Can you imagine kids today giving up their cell phones because that's how attached we were to our afternoon TV watching when I was a kid. And do you know what? Looking back now through my adult filter, what genius my parents were to make us do that! It forced us to play outside, to engage in board games, to read. Could adult me give up my TV for 40 days? Hmmm. That's something to think about.
Seriously, though, other than abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during lent, I do sometimes still choose to give something up for the entire 40 days. However, mostly, I strive to do something: be kinder, more loving, more compassionate, more understanding, more charitable, more Christ-like. It's so easy to get caught up in the rat race of earning a living, carving out "me" time, trying to live within a family unit, trying to find time for friends and colleagues that one of the first things I let slip is my attention to my spiritual life. So I find Lent is just a good time for me to step back, breathe, be still and listen for Christ's voice and attempt to discern what it is He wants me to do.
“In our stillness, we acknowledge God's greatness and we are at peace in our life. Stillness saturates us in the Presence of God.”
If you, like me, abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent, I have a few meal ideas from the archives to fill the meat void. Click on the images to go to the recipes.
 |
| Imbottit: Stuffed Eggplant |
 |
| Cheesy Egg & Spinach Stuffed Portobello |
 |
| Curried Tuna Salad |
 |
| Tortilla Española |
Until next time!
Ani
Comments
Post a Comment