Anyone here observing Lent?

Bonny

Hello, yes, I did - my friends and I ate vegetarian food only and my students asked me what I am giving up for lent this year (I think it's going to be anxiety).... One of the students asked me if it is a sin that they accidentally ate meat. I reassured them and said God knows their heart and that their intention was all good... no big deal really ...just a normal (religious) part of life! Xx

Just a small thing I noticed... Catholics 'fast' in lent or 'give up' or 'do something' in lent.
We don't 'observe' lent....
The group who 'observe' a tradition or practice or rite are Jewish people...
As a religious scholar I just thought to offer this in helpful spirit :)
 

AJ

I observed one year just because a friend always give up either potato chips or chocolate.

So I gave up violence. Changed my life in remarkable ways.
In order to do so I ended up with no TV (everything from cartoons to straight news, no avoiding it) or newspapers, no shows, most books, (I was a hard core mystery reader)
No saying I'd kill for a cuppa, You touch that remote I'll beat the brown off you (an especial favorite). I could go on for pages about all the ways violence permeates our lives, and we don't notice.

TV and papers never did come back. Mysteries did but I switched to mostly the cozy contingent.

And my mind was changed forever. Because I thought (privately) chips or chocolate was a frivolous observation.
 

DDwarks

I attended a Catholic elementary school, and I remember learning about Lent in the first grade. Our teacher was a nun, and she explained the tradition of having to "sacrifice" something during the Lenten season. Each of us had to write what we were giving up on an index card, then solemnly post our cards on the chalkboard. When I got home, my mom asked me what I gave up for Lent. I told her I decided to give up potato chips. My mom said, "You don't even LIKE potato chips!" And, in my innocent six-year-old voice, I said, "I know. That's why I gave them up!" :laugh::laugh::laugh:

This reminds me of a story I read about Bob Geldof.
Brought up as a Catholic in Ireland, his dad asked him what he was giving up for Lent.
"Strawberries" he said.
Bear in mind this was back a few years ago! Strawberries where expensive if not a luxury and he came from a poor background.
Bob woke up one morning to find his siblings and father feasting on strawberries for breakfast and he couldn't have any!
 

Genna

Just a small thing I noticed... Catholics 'fast' in lent or 'give up' or 'do something' in lent.
We don't 'observe' lent....
The group who 'observe' a tradition or practice or rite are Jewish people...
As a religious scholar I just thought to offer this in helpful spirit :)

Thanks, very good to know. I´m such a new Catholic. So I "fast". Only today I made lunch OK, but couldn´t resist this bun after work...I WILL be better at this though.
 

celticnoodle

This reminds me of a story I read about Bob Geldof.
Brought up as a Catholic in Ireland, his dad asked him what he was giving up for Lent.
"Strawberries" he said.
Bear in mind this was back a few years ago! Strawberries where expensive if not a luxury and he came from a poor background.
Bob woke up one morning to find his siblings and father feasting on strawberries for breakfast and he couldn't have any!

:laugh: sounds like the typical Irish family. They would do this just to push the envelope, you know? :laugh:
 

katyanne

I am a very devout observer of Lent but it was a little stale this year, but I'm sure things will get better.