The Sinner's Guide

Ok maybe not easy but here is a very simple plan you could use to grow this Lenten season. Let’s remind ourselves that Lent is about coming closer to Christ and preparing ourselves to celebrate the ultimate Christian mystery, the resurrection of our Lord. It’s a 40 day retreat.

Exercises for Lent 2011:

• Make a Schedule before Lent starts including time for the following.
• Confession before the start of Lent and again before Holy Week.
• Commit to a daily prayer time for all 40 days.
• Give something up. Sacrifice helps us surrender.
• Add something in. For example daily rosary, holy hour, daily mass etc.
• Concentrate on fighting one particular sin or temptation you struggle with.
• Read a spiritual book. I’ll make some recommendations in a future post.
• Pick a Saint to learn about and get to know.
• Pick a virtue to learn about and strive for.
• Pick a scripture verse to memorize, meditate on and pray during Lent.
• Read the Triduum Mass readings ahead of time.

This is a very doable but intense Lenten program. If you plan it out ahead of time its reasonable and won’t seem all that daunting. With the correct intentions and spirit these practices will bring us into deeper surrender and prepare us well for the Easter mysteries.

He must increase, but I must decrease…John 3:30