What are you giving up for Lent this year?

Many tend to think of Lent as a period of giving up something. Most times, these may be things that may not mean much in terms of our spirituality and faith, such as chocolates and candy. The idea of giving and abstinence during Lent, is actually a form of cleansing and disciplining ourselves, by learning to conditioning our urges and desires in a way that leads us to greater union with God. It is by no means a form of oppression or suppression, but rather a way to free ourselves from unwanted and unhealthy desires and attachments. It is only when we let go of these unnecessary burdens can we rise higher in our spiritual life. Such acts of self-discipline should not be restricted to just the period of Lent, but throughout our faith journey. However, it is especially highlighted during this period because we want to love Jesus as He has loved us, through sacrificing.

I’ve learned through the years that giving up simple things like coffee and chocolate during Lent does not essentially make me a better person. Lent should not be a treated as a season to adjust to a healthy diet. Instead, I try to assess what material things I’ve been overly attached to and learn to give these up. Such things can be either food, games, a bad habit, etc. Also, I try to devote more time to do something good, like saying extra rosaries, reading a good religious book, learning a new devotional prayer.

This year I’ll be continuing my fight with the morning alarm. I’m going to try to wake up without hitting the snooze on my alarm clock. Discipline in terms of  time management is something I seriously need to work on. And let’s not forget my continuous battle with my quick temper. Haven’t figured out how I can work on the latter, but it’s definitely something I desperately need to get rid of.

For more information on the season of Lent, as well as fasting and abstinence during this season, visit ETWN’s mini-site.

Meanwhile, here’s a good commentary on Lent by Father Barron.

Here are a couple of Stations of the Cross recordings I’ve come across while listening to some of my favorite podcasts:

• Catholic Music Express
  Jim O’Meara does a moving rendition of the Stations of the Cross as composed by St Alphonsus Ligouri, complete with beautiful contemporary Catholic music.
• iPadre
  A presentation of the Stations of the Cross, based on Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich by Father Jay Finelli.
• The Catholics Next Door
  Greg and Jennifer Willits does an audio version of the Stations of the Cross based on those celebrated by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991.
• Divine Mercy Podcast
  Greg Keuter also has a recording of the Stations of the Cross on his site.
• What Does The Prayer Really Say?
  The great Father Z has a couple of these
  • 1st Passion Sunday
  • Palm Sunday – Passion of St. Matthew (sung)
  • Stations of the Cross – St. Alphonsus Liguori
  • Passion of St. John (Good Friday – 1962 Missale Romanum)
  • Stations of the Cross – Joseph Ratzinger (Good Friday – 2005)
• Pray-As-You-Go
  A series of 10 scripture-based meditations in the tradition of the Stations of the Cross.

Hope you’ll find the resources above inspiring and helpful in your Lenten meditation.

Just at this moment, my mom walks into the room, looks at the video I was viewing on the computer, and says “What’s that?” I told her this is the latest in ultrasound technology, and now people can see their babies up close and personal. With this, we can now see their expressions and movements in 3D. Then I showed her this video:

She was as amazed as I was! For a long long time, she thought that babies in the womb do nothing but sleep. Of course, back in those days when she was pregnant with me, there wasn’t any such stuff as ultrasound scans. Thanks to modern technology and YouTube, now she knows that babies can also suck their thumb, smile, laugh, rub their eyes, kick their legs, and much more.. all that while they’re in the mother’s womb!

Isn’t comforting to know that ALL of us, including Jesus, was once a helpless baby in the warm womb of our mothers.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

- John 1:14

What biblical saint died and was buried twice?

Who was the first man that broke all Ten Commandments?

What biblical character killed one quarter of the population?

What prophet anointed two kings who lived simultaneously?

Born once, die twice; born twice, die once. What does it mean?

A woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services, when she was startled by an intruder.

She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled: ‘Stop! Acts 2:38!’
(“Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ , so that your sins may be forgiven.” )

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.

As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar: ‘Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you.’

‘Scripture?’ replied the burglar… ‘She said she had an ax and two 38s!’

I saw this on LOLCats blog and thought it was pretty humorous and inspirational at the same time. If you look into Scripture, you’ll find that not only was Jesus “on top of the bookcase the whole time“, he has also existed since the beginning of time.

Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.

- John 8:58