As the title might suggest, it's that time of the year again. But that's pretty vague. I mean, really. What exactly is it the time of the year for? Ah, I know! LENT. To put it simply, Lent is a Christian holiday that runs from Ash Wednesday til Easter Sunday. Well, technically the last day of Lent is the day before Easter Sunday (Holy Saturday). It's 40 days (not including Sundays) that represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert fasting, as well as the 40 years that the Israelites spent roaming in the desert before entering the Holy Land.
Essentially, Lent is all about fasting and prayer. Long ago, the fasting meant literally fasting--as in giving up/limiting food. Nowadays it can be fasting anything. For example, this year I'm giving up Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes people choose to [also] add in other things [that help them grow closer to Christ]. In addition to giving up Facebook and Twitter, I'm also going to go to the chapel daily, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and pray/sing St. Alphonsus Liguori's version of the Stations of the Cross--Mary's Way of the Cross. Giving up Facebook and Twitter could quite possibly kill me. In the 4+ hours that Lent has been going on, I've already thought of like probably 20 things I wanted to Facebook/Tweet and then I realize that I can't Facebook/tweet because I gave up both. SO PATHETIC, RIGHT!? How much we rely on social media and technology as a whole!? Lent really puts things in perspective.
Roman Catholics (like myself) and possibly other Christian religions (I'm not certain on this) give up meat on Fridays as well. Fish fries are very popular on Fridays for this reason. We don't eat meat on Fridays to commemorate Jesus' sacrifice (which occurred on what we now call Good Friday) by giving up a worldly pleasure. Meat is a worldly pleasure. I don't really know if that's a good description but oh well. It's 4:37 right now and I can't sleep so that's what you get! haha
happy Lent and I'm sure I'll be venting about my Lenten struggles on here since I can't use Facebook or Twitter! haha
I'm a Roman Catholic and I noticed you are too. We have certain things in common but not the first lecture in February
ReplyDelete, I Hate The Devil So Much...
I think us Roman Catholics are being pulled by the devil in my opinion because my Religion Teacher taught me that persons enter a Catholic School are closer to God but the devils pull them away because Satan wanted us destroyed but I won't let Satan do that. He controlled me as young as a 4 year old baby up until Now as a 14 help me I don't know what to do, All i wanted is to live with God. To Hug Him, To Praise Him and to Tell Him Everyday that I Love Him. I'm dying inside help me.... :'(
Yes I am Roman Catholic!
DeleteI agree. I personally attended private school for high school and now I'm at a Catholic college. So I do think that people who are close to God who attend religious schools are certainly being attacked by Satan. I also, though, know that not all people who attend religious schools are religious. I was probably in the top ten religious people at my high school (to get a perspective, I graduated in a class of 97 people, and each year after us increased by at least fifty people--my school opened in 2004 so it's still growing). I think that the closer you are to God, the more Satan will try to pull you away from Him.
Leah, know that you are most certainly in my thoughts and prayers. I think it is WONDERFUL that you are reaching out because it is a great sign of how much you love Him and want to be with Him. That's a great quality nowadays, especially in someone of such a young age (gosh now I feel really old! lol!).
Say aloud that you love Him and will do whatever it takes to praise Him. It actually helps a lot more than one would think.
And also have you read my [long] post about encouragement? (http://goodluckunderstanding.blogspot.com/2012/02/encouraging-words.html). I still open it quite often. It's essentially a compilation of quotes and Bible verses and things I've been told throughout my life as a devout Catholic. Check it out--it could very well help you. If you need anything, shoot me an e-mail, respond back on here, Facebook me (I'm under Abby Rhoades Hogan) or even text me at (317) 432-5498.
Know that God is ALWAYS with you and you are always loved. By Him as well as by others. You are always in my thoughts and prayers, okay? God bless, Leah! :)