I propose the following three “sacrifices” for this Lenten Season ahead:
1. Pray more and pray better- perhaps going to daily Mass a few days a week, meditating on Sacred Scripture, making more time for adoration/Eucharistic visits or the daily rosary, or praying for the intentions of others.
2. Choose the most difficult person in your daily life and make a real effort to practice extra patience and love toward that person. Allow Christ to love that person through you!
3. Small sacrifice in food or drink that could be a “crutch” or an unhealthy attachment in your life…as a means to foster greater self discipline, detachment, and love for Our Lord.
Fasting & Abstinence (USCCB)
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but not to equal a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church.
If possible, fasting on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.
