It's Time for Your Medicine

 

I know that Lent isn't "just about giving up things," but...

It very much is...ALSO...about giving up things. Mortification and penance are important medicines for our souls. We're sinners, and the giving up of things -- such as we do with fasting and abstinence -- is part of the "prescription" assigned by the Church and enshrined in Scripture.

Let's not be too easy on ourselves this Lent. It's not "self-abuse" to examine our lives and decide to forego one, two, or several "good things" out of love for God and in order to "medicate" our souls.

Lent begins this Wednesday.

Take some dedicated time today and decide what you will set aside until the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord.

The Church requires fasting (an actual reduction in the amount of food we consume) on only two days; Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Abstinence from the eating of meat (warm-blooded flesh) is required on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and on all Fridays of Lent.

That is the MINIMUM.

Your own freely chosen sacrifices are your love-offering to God.

We all need the good fruits of Holy Penance.

[photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/.../File:Envy-fasting...]