What Are Your Lenten Resolutions?

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1299553798' post='2219026']
You go, CM!! I especially love the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet with your son. Have you ever heard the singing version? That might be an extra special way of praying it with him, especially since he's so little. Babies really connect with music. I used to sing the Salve Regina with my little niece while rocking her to sleep.
[/quote]

Ooooo! I love the singing version on EWTN, especially the one on the weekends. I have a CD for it and I love using it for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1299550850' post='2219009']
You all are so inspiring I thought, "There's no way I can give up Facebook!" but since I saw a lot of you here are doing that, I'm going to do it, as well. Phatmass I will keep, since it's Catholic and it's always good for me to see like-minded Catholics ... but I can imagine I might be seeing fewer people on here

My Lenten "resolutions" are:

Giving up Facebook (except for Sundays), giving up sweets/desserts and sugar in my coffee, reading St. Therese's "Story of a Soul" again, plus the letters of her mother, Bd. Zelie Martin (one of my favorite Saints), and continuing my prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, plus Night Prayer, and making sure to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with my baby boy at 3:00pm everyday. I'd like to try to go to daily Mass again, but that's not specifically part of my "resolutions," since the church is rather far away, the Mass is very early, and it's very hard with a young baby who doesn't follow much of a schedule yet. But on the days I can, I will go


Also, anything specifically related to religious life, for those of you discerning?
[/quote]
I'm not doing anything especially specific to religious life, but I am putting emphasis on learning about more Franciscan saints, adding in a daily rosary instead of just a DMC, and adding an hour each night for meditation (since I can't be in adoration each evening).

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1299554869' post='2219032']
Ooooo! I love the singing version on EWTN, especially the one on the weekends. I have a CD for it and I love using it for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
[/quote]
Have you heard Remnant's version?

You can listen here: http://www.remnantband.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=35
You can buy it here: http://www.lztees.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=36&group=37

[Cherie]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1299553798' post='2219026']
You go, CM!! I especially love the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet with your son. Have you ever heard the singing version? That might be an extra special way of praying it with him, especially since he's so little. Babies really connect with music. I used to sing the Salve Regina with my little niece while rocking her to sleep.
[/quote]

That is a good idea, to sing it. Thanks for the suggestion!

I try to sing the Dominican Salve to him every night Actually, all my lullabies are religious hymns! The one he likes most, at the moment, is "Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant," which is a Christmas song, yes ... but still religious!

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1299550850' post='2219009']
Also, anything specifically related to religious life, for those of you discerning?
[/quote]

In an indirect way, yes, mine are specifically related to religious life. My over-all Lenten intention is to purify my desires, even good ones (such as my desire to [i]just gosh darn enter now![/i] lol), and love and focus on Jesus alone. It's easy, at times, to slowly shift one's focus from Jesus as number one to focusing on religious life more than the Beloved. Of course it's difficult to really notice, because the two are so intimately connected with one another... but it can does happen. And the only way to really avoid that is to focus completely on Jesus... As St. Augustine says, "Love, and then do as you wish."

So, each of my Lenten resolutions (of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving) afford me the opportunity, in their unique way, of focusing on loving Jesus alone and allowing Him to purify my good desires, as well as focusing on and loving His will for me [i]right here, right now-- in the present state[/i].

It seems to me that this is a lesson that God wishes me to learn before it will please Him to let me enter. It's a difficult lesson, on many different levels. And part of what is so difficult about it is how easily and innocently I can fall, or more like slip, and suddenly my focus is not completely on Jesus, but on some good thing related to Him. I think that's one of the devil's best weapons... getting us to focus on good things related to Jesus, because we think we're being all pious and good and loving God perfectly... but we're not. This happens in prayer, in study, in following one's vocation... everywhere.

[i][b]What will it profit you if you give God one thing when he asks for something else? Consider what God wills and do it, for so will you satisfy your heart better than by doing that to which you are inclined yourself. -St. John of the Cross[/b]

God’s will alone. Let me love God’s will alone.

If it does not please Him that I should make a complete gift of self now, when the desire is so strong within me… Let it be. Whatever pleases Him. I trust that it is as St. John says… He will satisfy my heart all the more. I don’t see how. And I suppose that darkness doesn’t matter in the least. So long as I am bringing Him joy by doing His will.

Jesus, I love You. Jesus, I trust in You.

Help me to love You more.[/i]

[Tony]

[quote name='Chamomile' timestamp='1299538937' post='2218960']
Uh oh. Seems like these two things together are going to be tough unless you've been weaning yourself from caffeine in preparation
[/quote]

oh I am. enjoying my last cup of tea today!

[vee]

Im reminded of the story of St Teresa of Avila who made all these big plans for what she was going to do Lent then ended up sick in bed for the duration . She complained to God and and God replied with something like "those were your plans for me but this was my plan for you."


My theme for this Lent seems to be Hosea 6:6 which Jesus repeats in Matthew
For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
so Im going to ask Him to take my hard heart, thats what Im giving up.... I dont know what He is going to do about my hard head though

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1299551106' post='2219011']
For me going to daily mass, praying the rosary, and spending time in adoration are part of me discerning. I want to start living a lifestyle similar to the Dominican sisters.
[/quote]



i'm copying the horarium of my Dom Sisters beginning tomorrow morning...that means waking up at 5 a.m.!!!! :D


WOOT!!!

[juchu]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1299590658' post='2219132']

The one he likes most, at the moment, is "Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant," which is a Christmas song, yes ... but still religious!
[/quote]

Il es né le divin enfant, jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes, il est né le divin enfant - chantons tous son avènement! *sing* Now that song is stuck in my ear! Actually we sang it at Christmas at my sisters...

I am going to fast candy, but the way that I am not buying any myself, but that I am going to eat it when somebody offers something to me, because personally I do not like to say "oh no, thanks, I am fasting", but rather keep that to myself. I will not eat the whole cake if somebody offers cake to me, but a piece. And enjoy it I am not drinking alcohol anyways and I am almost a vegetarian (used to be one for 10 years, but the last two years I ate meat when somebody offered it to me), so in that way that would not really be a sacrifice.

But what is more important is that I want to spend more time in prayer, to get back of praying every morning at 06:00 like my sisters do and to pray during Thursday nights from 2-3 like they also do during lent. The last two years I spend lent in the community, but this year I am here finishing up my studies... Getting back to prayer in the morning ist really difficult, because I like to get up early to study (the house is calm, I can concentrate...). But I have to set priorities - prayer is more important than studying.

[juchu]

I forgot to add that I want to write a postcard/a short letter each day to somebody (friend, family member, sisters) I have been neglecting due to a lack of time during the last time... Spending less time on facebook and the internet and using that time for real contact with ppl.

[HopefulBride]

I posted this in open mic but it never hurts to post again... I also have something new to add.

I am doing a technology fast, I am cutting out FB entirely, minimizing my TV and radio time to religious media and not spending as limited time on phatmass. I just need to figure out how much time very limited phatmass use translates to.

This all stems from my ultimate resolution to spend more time [i]in silence[/i] with the Lord. I feel that by cutting the time spent on these things, I can increase the time spent with Him. I am also resolving to spending more time in adoration (Now I get about 3 or so hours in a week) I want to get at least 6 hours in (with daily visits - I go at most 3 days a week)

Also, more spiritual reading, I recently picked up the book [i]The Fire Within [/i]per my SD's orders lol. I am hoping that spending more time getting to know the saints and the great spiritual guides of our times (Dubay, Merton etc...) I can grow into a deeper relationship with him.

This morning though, my sister said that she wants to learn how to say the rosary so for lent we are going to say it together every morning. I am just so excited about it, this may not seem like a big thing to y'all but it is a HUGE deal to me. I love the idea of praying with my sister.

Our first rosary is tomorrow morning and we will offer it up for all of you guys on PM especially VS

God Bless you as you discern your Lenten spiritual exercises.

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1299614911' post='2219283']
Our first rosary is tomorrow morning and we will offer it up for all of you guys on PM especially VS

God Bless you as you discern your Lenten spiritual exercises.
[/quote]
That's so wonderful, HB!! THANK YOU! (And that book is a good one.)

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1299590658' post='2219132']
That is a good idea, to sing it. Thanks for the suggestion!

I try to sing the Dominican Salve to him every night Actually, all my lullabies are religious hymns! The one he likes most, at the moment, is "Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant," which is a Christmas song, yes ... but still religious!
[/quote]

I love "Il est ne, le divin enfant!" I also love "la grace du ciel"

[MissyP89]

I'm going to get eight hours of sleep a night. As someone who frequently turns in around dawn, this is going to be an exercise in discipline and time management...

My friend and I are embarking on some kind of Bible study together, which we haven't settled on yet, as well as a devotion to the shoulder wound of Christ.

[MissyP89]

I'm going to get eight hours of sleep a night. As someone who frequently turns in around dawn, this is going to be an exercise in discipline and time management...

My friend and I are embarking on some kind of Bible study together, which we haven't settled on yet, as well as a devotion to the shoulder wound of Christ.

[Cherie]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1299626744' post='2219358']
I love "Il est ne, le divin enfant!" I also love "la grace du ciel"
[/quote]

Since we're on the subject of French hymns, do you also know "Dors Ma Colombe"? That is one of my absolute favorites, and it's really meant to be a lullaby (albeit a Christmas one) too!

God bless you all on your Lenten journeys. All of you here in discernment will be especially in my prayers this Lent. Those discerning religious life always hold a special place in my heart and in my prayers. May God grant you a fruitful Lent and a glorious Easter!