Lent 2011

hi well for lent i will try to get closer to Jesus though prayer i need to ot just do the things like give up somthimg like food but to do stop doing the things that made Jesus suffer on the cross and do more good works

We can have eggs and dairy, just not meats or meat sauces/gravies/soups. I think Orthodox is stricter on this and Roman Catholic might have been stricter a long, long time ago but milk, butter, and eggs are OK.

Peanut butter or other nut butter (cashew, almond, etc.) is fine, and I've never seen any that even has animal fat in it; the oil is from the peanuts themselves. Also soy products, tofu, vegetables, fruits, bread and grains are fine.

And fish or other seafood, once I had frog legs . . . and they taste like chicken But that was an unusual thing. I think I shocked the cook by my willingness to try frog legs because he usually got to tease me for being a picky eater, LOL

Tomorrow and Good Friday are the most difficult for me, the not eating between meals. We can have water, tea, coffee, even a little fruit juice. I have low blood sugar sometimes, so I had a priest give me a dispensation to follow as best as I could but if I needed to I could have the option of choosing a substitute penance. If I take a bit of fruit juice I can make it to the next meal. That's me; it varies what each person can do. Health conditions such as diabetes or pregnancy I think dispense from the fasting - talk to your confessor if you have any questions . . .

Hi 3DOCTORS!
Looks like I'm finally in!

Ok, So I was wondering about Foods that are taboo on Friday-meat of course-BUT-Does that include foods like peanut butter if made with animal fat?
I'm also guessing no eggs, milk, margarine-or butter?

M.

Hello dear friends,
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. My husband (a convert) says he wants to begin each day of Lent by reading from Magnificat together. Thanks be to God, who makes all things new!

Blessings and grace to you all, as we take up our crosses (joyfully) and follow.
mea maxima

It seems to be working now. It let me join without approval. I'm guessing it was a glitch in the way the settings were recorded to the database.

What am I going to do for lent? I'm not sure yet. I'm not Catholic (or even Christian), but I'm here to learn about the Faith. I am thinking about possibly doing RCIA in 2011 or 2012, but I want to learn as much as I can first.

I'm puzzled. I set this back to Public Group again - but I thought that's what I had made it in the first place. Then yesterday or whenever it was that I became aware it was showing up as a moderated group, I went in and switched it to public. Then today it shows again as Moderated. And with a whole bunch of people who have been (unbeknownst to me!) waiting to join!

So if anybody's techie and can shed light on this, I'd be most grateful. For now, I've reset it again and maybe this time it will stick?

DS62, that sounds like a real invitation from the Lord to be with him during the 40 days in the desert - pretty special and a great challenge as well. But with abundant blessing potential!

Very well put, DesertSister62! I can get scrupulous or discouraged about Lent about midway through. I have that little booklet I mentioned in an earlier post which I think will help me. It has reflections in it and a place to write what I want to do (since I'm forgetful). And I know I will be tempted to write too many things because I get carried away.

So I think what I'll do is use the booklet to help me discern what are the main goals for this Lent. One is "to get to know Jesus better" - this was something that came up in Confession recently. I need to know Him well so I can love and serve Him well.

That provides the starting point, and then I can evaluate sacrifices, devotions, practices as to how much they will contribute toward that. To give an example - regular Scripture reading would probably be more helpful, giving up something like sweets may be lower on the hierarchy even though it is still a good sacrifice to make.

Then I'll end up with a list of "definites" and a list of "optionals." Maybe this sounds a bit mechanical to some, but it's kind of how my mind likes to sort and order things. I never know how life's going to go and in fact my life right now is full of major decisions. I got my disability approved so now I have to plunge into financial planning and things.

Therefore, Lenten practices need to be my "re-grounding" in the Lord and I must resist the urge to tick them off mechanically as a bunch of "To-Do List" items. I tend to be a Martha rather than a Mary - if Lent can help me to be more like Mary sitting at the feet of the Lord, that'd be good!