Suggestions regarding prayer, penance and good works
Regarding Prayer Life
“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (St. John Damascene). We communicate with God and work on our relationship with God. There are many forms of prayer that we can and should practice, both interior and exterior prayers.
– Participate in daily Mass whenever possible
-Read the daily readings of the Mass if you cannot attend Mass. You can use iBreviary (available for ANDROID and IOS)
-Pray the Liturgy of the Hours (especially Morning and Evening Prayers). If you don’t have the book, use some suitable app. You can use iBreviary.
-Receive the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) at least once.
-Examine your conscience every night, to ask forgiveness for your sins, and to give thanks for all the graces you have received.
-Pray the Stations of the Cross, especially on Fridays.
-Say the daily Rosary.
-Go to Eucharistic Adoration, at least a while once a week if possible.
-Say the Angelus (every day at about 8:00 AM, Noon and 6:00 PM)
-If you are not used to, start saying the Prayers Before and After Meals.
-Make spiritual Communions.
-Read and pray with the Bible
-Meditate on the Passion of Jesus
-Read about the life of some saint.
-Read some book written by a saint.
Regarding Fasting and Abstaining
We must fulfill the minimum requirements of the Church for fasting and abstinence. But there are other forms of abstaining and fasting. We must remember that when we do “give up” something, it should be completely, not saved for later. The money we save from not buying a something should be given as a donation to charity. The time we don’t watch TV should be spent doing spiritual reading, or family time. Below are some examples of other forms of fasting or abstaining:
-Refrain from complaining, gossiping, grumbling or losing one’s temper.
-Reduce or eliminate time surfing the Internet or playing video games, using social media.
-Abstain from favorite drinks, desserts or foods.
-Curb forms of entertainment such as TV, dining out, movies.
-Give up smoking, alcohol.
-Eat less at meals, or eat fewer snacks between meals.
-Fast or abstain extra days in Lent besides Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
-Make simple meals that are healthy, but less appealing to the sense of taste.
In fasting, we are also practicing Self-Denial. This is the area that tests our will-power. We have the opportunity to give up innocent pleasures without complaining: radio, TV, internet, personal time or leisure, secular reading. We can choose one area in Lent and try to persevere throughout the 40 days. This is not just a test of wills—the main intention is purification, and making reparation for the offenses against the Mystical Body of Christ. So even if these actions are done in private or secret, they help us grow in our spiritual life, and benefit the whole Church.
Almsgiving and Good Works
-Practice the Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy
· Feed the hungry
· Give drink to the thirsty
· Clothe the naked
· Shelter the homeless
· Visit the sick
· Visit the imprisoned
· Bury the dead
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
· Admonish the sinner
· Instruct the ignorant (This and the next work are extremely pertinent categories today, when so many people are confused by what the Church teaches on contraception, abortion, homosexuality, etc.)
· Counsel the doubtful
· Comfort the sorrowful
· Bear wrongs patiently
· Forgive all injuries
· Pray for the living and the dead
-Fulfill well your daily duties.
Your daily duties include your job as a spouse, as a parent, as a child, as a worker or student, as an employer or employee. You need to strive to do your best in these capacities, even if that means being more patient, more cheerful, more efficient, more charitable, less critical, less gossiping, or less backbiting. You need to make the most of the time given each day; you should not waste time. This is the positive area of your Lenten program. You should work on virtues, like obedience, charity, humility, chastity and perseverance. Turn off the TV during meals. Ask your children to put their mobile phones aside during meals. Set a time limit for their use of phone, internet, social media.
FINAL SUGGESTION: Write down, as a reminder, your personal and family plan of penance, prayer and conversion for this Lent.
