The Journey Begins...
Our 40 day walk with Jesus starts today.
Hopefully, you have given some sincere and prayerful thought to what you will do for the next 40 days to draw you nearer to Christ. Many focus on just “giving up” a food, drink or activity that they enjoy to help them mimic the sacrifices Jesus made in the desert before he fulfilled his purpose as Savior. As we embark on this Lenten Season 2016 years later A.D. let us “give” of our time, talent and treasure to draw us into a more intimate connection with Christ in our lives that extends beyond the 40 days.
Do you remember the feeling of connection with Christ when you completed a retreat? Do you remember being drawn to our Lord in the midst of a trial or loss? Do you remember a time that something happened and you could only attribute the Grace of God for the happening? Use this time to rekindle that feeling in your heart, mind and spirit.
I know you’re busy and juggling work, family and faith. Matthew Kelly proposes that Dynamic Catholics focus on Prayer, Study, Generosity and Evangelization. Choose one to focus on for the next 40 days.
Here are some specific ideas to help:
Prayer – Just set aside 10 minutes a day in prayer
Pick-up a prayer gratitude journal and Write about 10 people, things or situations for which you are grateful everyday for the next 40 days.
Spend 10 minutes quietly in prayer in the adoration chapel.
Say the Our Father every day 10 times at the same time of day each day.
Follow the Dynamic Catholic 7-Step Prayer Process .
Say one decade of the Rosary.
Say the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Say the Our Father 10 times.
Download the Keep Lent App which offers a Gospel reading and commentary from clergy.
Attend a full or mini-retreat hosted by your parish community or faith centered house of prayer.
Attend one daily mass in addition to Sunday for Lent.
Study – 5 pages per day
Read a book or two about our faith. Here is a link to some of thetraditional book titles. Dynamic Catholic offers a variety of titles that are more contemporary in theme and context. Some of the best ones for Lent: Rediscover Jesus, Rediscover Catholicism, Ordinary Lives Extraordinary Mission, Everybody Needs to Forgive Somebody, Beautiful Mercy and if you haven’t read it The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholics.
Get an AudioBook on our faith to listen to during your commute or whenever you are in the car.
Subscribe to CatholicBytes – A 10-minute Podcast on our faith.
Sign-Up for a daily message from Dynamic Catholic’s#BestLentever or Word on Fire’s #LentenReflections from Bishop Barron that comes to your email.
Generosity – Grow your “Giving” by 1% for the year
Add 1% more to your weekly offering.
Make a one-time donation to “Together in Mission” during Lent.
Learn why God calls us to “Give” through his word and become a cheerful giver to experience greater abundance. Choose a few of the scriptures and meditate on what resonates.
Don’t forget an oldie but goodie – fill the rice bowl.
If you haven’t already done so turn in your stewardship commitment card.
Evangelization – 1 intentional faith sharing act during Lent
Pray for a friend or family member who is estranged from their relationship with God and or the Church.
Dynamic Catholic also has a book program where you can share books with others to help them know and learn the faith as you do for a nominal cost.
Talk about your faith with others and how it helps you in everyday life situations. Think about what and how you do things as you walk through the world. As the second reading (2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:20) on Ash Wednesday reminds us, our actions should reflect that we are ambassadors of Christ?
Purchase Bishop Barron’s DVD series on how to really incorporate evangelization into your daily life.
As long as I can remember Lent has been a time to reflect on "giving up" this Lenten Season join me in just giving of your time, talent or treasure to draw closer to Christ. Whenever we do something repetitively for 21 - 30 days it becomes a habit, that you will continue to do way beyond the 40 days. I'm already reading one of three books that I bought to read during Lent. So my focus will be study. But I will also be donating to "Together In Mission". My blog serves as a form of evangelization, but scheduled prayer time is a struggle that I will work on over the next 40 days. What will you focus on?
