Tomorrow … The day that starts Lent many often give up candy, cookies, smoking, drinking.
You don’t have to just limit it to food
I have heard many comments about what people are giving up for Lent. It has been traditional to fast during Lent, often from a certain food or substance.
When I was growing up we didn’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent. I still don’t. And for my family and the catholic school I attended in elementary school it was a time of reflection.
Lent is a blessed time: we can slow down and actively reflect on our spiritual journey. We can change the course of our life.
This year I was fascinated with the number of people who either said they were giving up Facebook Twitter and Snapchat for Lent or were cutting back on the amount of time they spent on Social Media
. I am curious, how does fasting from Facebook Snapchat and Twitter deepen your relationship with God? (Seriously, I am curious. If you did this, please write back to me and tell me.)
I can imagine that maybe the time that you save because you are not looking at FB and Twitter, Snapchat could be used for other things, like prayer, meditation, or sacred reading.
Are there other ways fasting from FB deepens your faith?
I use social media to raise awareness for several things I advocate for.
So I feel I am educating others, so I won’t give that up.
The point, it seems, is to give up something that is important to you.
The purpose, though, is to draw closer to God. To deepen or have a relationship with God.
If your Lenten fast doesn’t put you on your knees in prayer or truly challenge you to be better it probably isn’t really a fast.
Whether you are a religious person, or you just consider yourself spiritual, this list is a challenge for everyone.
Every day I will try but I know it’s going to be hard and that’s a good thing it will make me so much aware of exactly how I need to work on myself. I encourage you to try it as well.
Below is a list I saw posted on line and I am sharing it with you.
The Fast and Feast
Fast from being negative and thinking less of yourself. Feast on God made you in his image .
Fast from judging others. Feast in the Christ who dwells within them.
Fast from emphasis on differences. Feast on the Spirit that unites.
Fast from words that pollute. Feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent. Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger. Feast on patience.
Fast from gossip. Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from pessimism. Feast on optimism.
Fast from worry. Feast on trust.
Fast from complaining. Feast on appreciation.
Fast from negativism. Feast on affirmation.
Fast from personal anxiety. Feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility. Feast on nonviolence.
Fast from bitterness. Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern. Feast on compassion for others.
Fast from discouragement. Feast on hope.
Fast from lethargy. Feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion. Feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken. Feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from the darkness of sin. Feast on the light of Christ.
Enjoy Lent and the beautiful spiritual journey that begins
14 February 2018
To
29 March 2018
——————-
Here’s more ideas especially for Teens and College Students
What you should really give up for Lent:
1. Snacking between meals.
2. Cracking your knuckles.
3. Plumber’s crack.
4. Instagram filters.
5. Being a backseat driver.
6. Speeding
7. Texting and driving.
8. Thinking the world owes you.
9. Using emojis to avoid talking about your true feelings.
10.Talking about true feelings through text instead of in person.
11.Not inviting your friends to Mass and Life Night because your afraid it will hurt your reputation.
12.Rolling your eyes at your parents.
13.Spitting out your gum on the street, parking lot, sidewalk.
14.Wishing for someone else’s life, relationship, or possessions.
15.Complaining.
16. The phrase, “I can’t even.”
17. Only talking to Jesus when you need something.He would like to hear from you all the time in happy and unhappy times.
18. Only talking to Jesus when you “feel” like it.
19. Wearing clothes that are too tight and draw attention only to your body.
20. Pride. Instead pray the Litany of Humility every day.
21. Being selfish. Do the dishes don’t toss them in the sink.
22. Greed. Don’t buy anything besides the essentials during Lent. Food. Lent Companion.
23. Laziness. Give up sleeping all day or zoning on TV and commit to going for a walk or run every day.
24. Gossip.
25. Impure thoughts and actions, fast from eating between meals and from sweets. Train your body to be obedient to your will.
26. Saying “God” or “Jesus” outside of a prayer, memorize Ephesians 4:29 and repeat it on the hour, every hour during the day.
27. If you lie stop it, the truth will set you free.
28. Stop doing dumb stuff that gets you in trouble neither parents or possibly the law.
29. If you’re complacent, take up Zumba.
30. Help around the house without being asked.
31. If you’re addicted to porn, sign up for CovenantEyes.com.
32. If you occasionally look at porn, sign up for CovenantEyes.com.
33. If you’re an emotional eater, keep a food/feelings journal and find your triggers.
34. If you’re wasteful, volunteer once a week at a soup kitchen.
35. If you have road rage, don’t drive.
36. Just kidding. See #28.
37. If you don’t trust God, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day. Never heard of it? Google it.
38. If you’re judgmental, pray for every person you see.
39. If you’re vain, give up makeup or your mirror.
40. If you have no idea what sins you struggle with, do an examination of conscience every night.
41. Listen to Fr. Mike’s podcasts. He’s cool
42. Give up tanning. You so pret-taaaayyy… alread-aaayyy.
43. Forgetting to water your plants
44. Fake cleaning your room.
45. Using the word “can’t.”
46. Using the word I’m sick of ….
47. Using words that don’t glorify God. See #26.
48. Bad jokes.
49. Trolling online.
50. Being sarcastic.
51. But that’s impossible for you so forget it.
52. Oh my gosh I need to stop being sarcastic. Pray for me.
53. Do back to back to back novenas for the Life Teen Staff and Missionaries.
54. Pizza.
55. Gluten
56. Talking about your special diet to get attention.
57. Texting the opposite sex to get attention.
58. Sexting.
59. Sending snapchats of strangers.
60. Stop ignoring your future career goals
61.Stop thinking all your friends got your back… they don’t
62. Stop thinking your parents suck.
63. Not apologizing when you should because it’s hard to admit you’re wrong.
64. Making excuses to not go to daily Mass.
65. Thinking about food all during daily Mass.
66. Eating donuts as a reward after daily Mass.
67. Sugar and/or creamer in your coffee.
68. Drinking more than 1 cup of coffee.
69. Underage drinking. You could get alcohol poisoning and die.
70. Energy drinks.They aren’t good for you anyway
71. Soda.
72. Stop doing all dugs that are prescribed to you. You could become addicted or die.
73. Buying spiritual books and not reading them
74. Leaving Facebook and/or Twitter open while you’re doing homework.
75. Checking your phone every 2 minutes. (LOL. You know it’s 30 seconds.)
76. Opening the fridge just to look at the same stuff that’s been there all day.
77. Telling yourself you’re fat.
78. And stupid. And anything less than the truth that you’re an amazing beloved child of God.
79. Leaving lights on.
80. Pulling the victim card when things go wrong.
81. Being embarrassed when you need help from a therapist in order to live a happy, full life.
82. Not going to counseling or therapy because you think it means you’re weak. Your strong
83. Staying closed off to the glory of God’s presence around you all day ‘ery day.
84. Refusing to recognize God in your neighbor.
85. And God in your family. Even the most annoying members. God loves them. How will you?
86. Hiding your faith from those around you. It’s Lent. Share what God is doing in your life these 40 days.
Joint Purpose 
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