Lent puts into practice the words of Jesus: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (St. Matthew 16:24) Lent is a time for cultivating spiritual disciplines—whether giving something up or taking something on—that foster spiritual growth.
Lent becomes the time to look truthfully at ourselves and make changes. Here are some practices to try.
1. Prayer in Lent
2. Take some time for daily readings
3. Have some fun – make pretzels showing our arms crossed in prayer
4. Daily examen
5. (See following newsletter article “More Practices – Personal Expression”)
6. Reduce your carbon footprint
7. Fasting and Feasting
8. Building happiness
The Rev. David Lose isn’t one to give up something in Lent but to enrich our spiritual lives. “Perhaps the goal of the life of faith isn’t to escape limitation but to discover God amid our needs and learn, with Paul, that God’s grace is sufficient for us.” We can flourish amidst the challenges of life. Lose continues, “Perhaps faith, doesn’t do away with the hardships that are part and parcel of this life, but rather gives us the courage to stand amid them, not simply surviving but actually flourishing in and through Jesus, the one who was tempted as we are and thereby knows our struggles first hand. This same Jesus now invites us to find both hope and courage in the God who named not only him, but all of us, beloved children so that we, also, might discover who we are be recalling whose we are.”