The 40 Days of Spiritual Lent - Wednesday 2nd March - Thursday 14th April
Although Lent is seen as a Christian/Catholic tradition, the act of giving up and fasting is something we can all do. When the first day of Lent arrives (2nd March), people fall into 2 distinct groups when it comes to what to give up for Lent.
The first group takes it down to the wire: the night before continuing an internal dialogue trying to figure out what Lenten sacrifice to make. It’s a conversation they have every year. And it may include lines you’ve said yourself in past years: “I never know what to give up for Lent!”
The second group is dialled in on the start of Lent, ready to activate “Lent autopilot” and prepare to give up the same thing as last year. And two years ago. And every year.
Lent is more than just “giving something up” and fasting from meat on Fridays. In fact, Lent challenges us to think about fasting as something more powerful than we normally consider it, I describe it as “learning to change our attitude towards others and all of creation, turning away from the temptation to ‘devour’ everything to satisfy our voracity and being ready to suffer for love, which can fill the emptiness of our hearts. However, Lent can be an unhealthy time for those who struggle with scrupulosity, or it can be overwhelming for people who are already in a time of suffering. For some, the best Lent might be to make sure they get at least 7 hours of sleep or make the commitment to attend therapy or to give the time or money to a charity each day. At the start of Lent, we should ask ourselves – what pulls me away from loving the creator, others or myself. How can I incorporate acts of sacrifice, acts of giving, and acts of silent prayer/contemplation that will help me love myself and others as I should? Giving thought to observing Lent is important. Whether you wait until the last minute to decide or you’ve known your Lenten sacrifice since last Lent, it’s worth spending time to thoughtfully consider how to make the most of your experience this year. Because observing Lent is so much bigger than what you “give up.”
Lent’s 3 Pillars: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving
When we hunger - whether it be for food, technology, comfort - it can be a reminder that there is more to life than just these things. When we sacrifice things that this world tells us we need, it can remind us that only by submitting to the will of the divine and trusting in our higher self can we truly satisfy our spiritual hunger. Lent’s three pillars are prayer, fasting and almsgiving - meaning that we’re called to do more than just abstain from a particular food or activity. It involves not only what we’re willing to give up, but what we’re willing to take on. When we think about what to give up for Lent, we ought to also think about what sort of commitment to prayer and the ability to be charitable that we can hold ourselves. In addition to fasting and prayer, almsgiving is equally important during Lent, helping us deepen our relationship with our true self. Anyone can practice almsgiving, which is not limited to simply donating money. Rather, practising almsgiving can also mean donating one’s time in service, perhaps volunteering or serving those in need.
Ideas for What to Give Up for Lent
With the three pillars of Lent in mind, I have come up with the following ideas of things that we can give up for Lent in 2022. It is also encouraged to get the whole family involved in this act to bring a profound sense of peace, alignment and harmony within the family unit.
Lent Fasting Ideas
Kids / Teen Fasting Ideas
Give up a favourite toy or game
Fast from social media for a day
Give up a favourite snack
Drink only water at school
Give up a favourite chair at home or seat at school
Go without headphones/air pods for a day
Play your favourite game, focusing on helping others instead of winning
Allow others to pass in front of you in the lunch line
General Ideas for Lenten Sacrifices
Give up coffee (or only brew it at home)
Give up alcohol
Give up chocolate (this is the one that I have decided to do this Lent)
Give up certain social media sites, or limited them to certain days/time of day
Give up electronics after a certain time in the day (i.e., no screens after 8 p.m.)
Sleep without a pillow
Wake up without hitting the snooze button
Shower without hot (with only lukewarm) water
Keep the thermostat several degrees cooler
Park in the back of the parking lot and say a prayer as you walk to the grocery store
Abstain from reading gossip/rumour sites
Lent Almsgiving/Charity/Donation Ideas
Kids/Teens/General Almsgiving Ideas
Spend time volunteering as a family
Allow kids to be the one to place money in a charity box
Introduce children to a charity and explain to them how and why to donate to it
Have children identify a toy they are willing to donate to Goodwill
Help children identify an article of clothing they can donate and explain that their donation can be a blessing to someone in need
Create a jar to collect change to donate
Donate food to a food bank
Donate a service (free homework tutoring, free professional assistance, etc)
Give a smile to someone you pass who may be living on the street (instead of ignoring them)
Follow new charities on social media and engage with their posts
Support a business that advertises in your parish bulletin
If you decide to give up something for Lent, please try to stick with it for as long as you can. If you are able to continue this for the duration of Lent, I promise that by the end, not only will you feel spiritually at peace but your body will also be in a much better state of health and energetic alignment.