Everyday Systems

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but do any of you observe Lent by giving up something? My old go to was sweets, but that's moot now. Any ideas?

Becuase I am just back I am giving up snacks. This will include weekends and any desert I have will be included at meal times! Also pancakes are for dinner as it's Fat Tuesday!

I'm giving up prepared sweets, meaning I can have it on weekends if it's homemade.

I know technically this is isn't quite a true Lenten fast in that I will be fasting on Saturdays as well as Sundays which are traditionally a mini-feast day.

But this fast is as much about food justice and my own gesture, symbolic though it may be, against the industrialized and globalized food system.

I try to add some more sacred readings but my track record with that is spotty.

Hi all,

I'm giving up Diet Soda (well, any soda as I only really drink diet soda) and coffee. My coffein will be mainly coming from green tea and I'm sure it has a different name then. I will observe 44 days until I go on holidays around Easter (Thursday 17th).

Blithe Morning: in Austria (historically a very catholic country, which still has over 80% professed catolics, followed by undeclared and far behind muslim and orthodox) there are two schools when it comes to lent: Those who observe the 40days from Ash Wednesday to Palm-Sunday (a week before Easter) and those who observe it from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday with all Sundays taken off (and kept to moderate feasting), also totalling 40 days of fasting. So you're not so far off if you're breaking lent on Saturday and Sunday.

I have heard that Sundays are always mini feast days as a celebration.

I thought about it for awhile and decided I would give up sweets (on my S-days) even though it may not be exactly sticking to the "Vanilla noS. Lent is temporary, so I will still have the feeling of "it's not forever" which is, to me, the best part of NoS.
Since that's only giving something up for two days a week I've decided to give up my computer five days a week as well. Now that's hard!
I don't use it for work but I do use it for my calendars, schedules and so on, and for homeschooling my high school Sophomore. However, it's doable and I'm doing it. The worst thing will be not checking in here as often. I just found this site and this method a month ago and I love coming here and reading. Oh well- that's sacrifice.

It was interesting to read about the different methods of keeping Lent. I have never heard of taking Sundays off during Lent although I know it's a feast day. Here we just go from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday Easter vigil (although we do take St Patrick's day off and March 25th too, which is a solemnity.) I can see it's really 45 days that way. I guess St. Pats and March 25th will definitely be S days for me.

I have always preferred the idea of adding a task rather than taking away a food item. I was raised as a Protestant, but I took classes and became Catholic after my marriage. The Catholic school our children went to encouraged them to add a daily task such as adding a devotion or doing an extra chore for their parents or concentrating on one random act of patience or kindness each day.

However I admit to giving up various food items over the years. It is easier. I never really understood the Friday abstinence from meat either. Fish and seafood often costs more and is more of a treat to me. This year I am going for a daily time of reflection.

r.jean

The way I understand it taking away of a food item is a form of fasting. Biblically, fasting is a way to humble the "flesh", to submit the physical and emotional desires and will to spiritual practice.

I decided to keep to the traditional fast for Lent. I'm using tiny plates for breakfast and lunch, and a regular size plate for dinner. It's been working well so far.

I perform an extended real fast (only water) from dinner time on Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday morning.

Jethro that sounds difficult! I'm sure I couldn't do it. I do, however, often fast (regular Catholic fast such as Coffeegal is doing) on the Fridays of Lent and some years on Wednesdays too. This year I'm not though.
I also like the idea of adding doing something such as extra acts of kindness or charity, but would do it along with giving up something.

One time I tried to do Lent, even though I'm not Catholic, to give up sweets. It didn't work out too well. No S and all the support systems for no snacking didn't exist back then.

leafy_greens wrote:One time I tried to do Lent, even though I'm not Catholic, to give up sweets. It didn't work out too well. No S and all the support systems for no snacking didn't exist back then.

I'm originally from Austria and if you live in a very catholic country the support system is all around you - much much easier to stick to habits when there are social sanctions when you don't In my little traditional hometown people would tell each other what they gave up and no one would tempt you but if they'd see you with whatever you gave during lent - boy, you'd better be able to have a medical excuse haha.

eschano wrote:

leafy_greens wrote:One time I tried to do Lent, even though I'm not Catholic, to give up sweets. It didn't work out too well. No S and all the support systems for no snacking didn't exist back then.

I'm originally from Austria and if you live in a very catholic country the support system is all around you - much much easier to stick to habits when there are social sanctions when you don't In my little traditional hometown people would tell each other what they gave up and no one would tempt you but if they'd see you with whatever you gave during lent - boy, you'd better be able to have a medical excuse haha.

Like in the movie Chocolat?

I am not Catholic but I feel Lent is a lovely way to remind us of what Christ gave up to come to earth for us and how he suffered.

I have given up coffee - Whew this is a tough one!

I am also giving up reading all commercial literature (this is tough as I am a confirmed bookworm) and only reading my bible from 5th March to Easter Sunday.

Morag

leafy_greens wrote: Like in the movie Chocolat?

Hahahaha! Well, I guess, a little bit but it's more fun to do Lent than in Chocolat. God, I'd hate to think of us as Alfred Molina's character. It's more abstaining and then have a chocolat feast like they put it on at the end.

MerryKat, I gave up coffee too! Nightmare. And Diet Coke but that one I barely miss. Think after lent I'll take up the coffee again but not the soda but I'll see.

Jethro wrote:I perform an extended real fast (only water) from dinner time on Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday morning.

I'll be doing that, too, but from 3 pm on Friday through Sunday morning (so I'll have lunch on Friday and then only drink water until breakfast on Sunday) ... although your way might make more sense. I'll see.

I am doing No-S for Lent, with one tweak to add a supplement before bed and/or on days that I exercise. I guess the question is if it has brought me closer to God, so I will abstain from saying if I have lost any weight.