Anyone Observing Ash Wednesday/Lent?

Solat13

Well, after thinking about it for awhile, I decided I'm giving up red meat for Lent.

That's just going to make steak and burgers taste that much better in 6 weeks.

Poncier

Solat13 wrote:

Well, after thinking about it for awhile, I decided I'm giving up red meat for Lent.

That's just going to make steak and burgers taste that much better in 6 weeks.

Thats one I could venture...had a nice medium rare steak au poivre Friday night at the Phoenix Capital Grille, that could hold me for a while...just have to be careful not to slip at Taco Bell or Wendy's.

Done and done.

Solat13

Poncier wrote:

Thats one I could venture...had a nice medium rare steak au poivre Friday night at the Phoenix Capital Grille, that could hold me for a while...just have to be careful not to slip at Taco Bell or Wendy's.

Done and done.

Excellent. It's always good having an ally during Lent.

The year I gave up booze was the year my college roommate decided to pick up binge drinking. Binge drinking is fun until you live with someone who does it and you're sober.

Heineken Helen

Poncier wrote:

That must be a rare priest to have such a level headed outlook on things.

priests get such a bad name... and only cos of a bad few. Most of the priests I've known WERE/ARE very level headed and seem genuinely good people! Of course I've also known one or two to let the power go to their heads... but they were the minority.

Heineken Helen

Solat13 wrote:

I think most Catholics our age are this way. We kind of stray from the faith but when marriage and kids come around we go back and embrace it because even though I don't agree with all the teachings being raised Catholic gives you a good base later in life.

I think any religion gives you a good base later in life. Ideally if I had kids I'd like them brought up Catholic. Obviously that's not gonna be for a while yet though (hopefully) but I think the lack of religion in kids these days is a major problem.

Heineken Helen

fanch75 wrote:

I learned in RCIA class on Monday that this is a purpose of the Lent ritual of the ashes. It is to remind you of your baptism and that you will one day die.

By nature, you feel more close and less close to God during certain parts of your life, and this ritual is a reminder and to hopefully bring you back closer to God.

remember that you are dust and into dust you shall return.

Heineken Helen

fanch75 wrote:

Althought it looks otherwise, I'm not doing it for the wedding - I'm doing it for me. I won't be ready by the wedding anyway. I've always been a Christian as far as believing, but always fell short on the practicing end. I was raised Protestant (kind of), and know I don't fit in there. Catholicism teaches love and tolerance, not anger & self-righteousness. It just makes sense to me and I want to learn more.

good on you for recognising that. I hear so much from non catholics about how catholicism is all about guilt and fear and that sounds NOTHING like the religion I was brought up with.

Heineken Helen

Poncier wrote:

Thats one I could venture...had a nice medium rare steak au poivre Friday night at the Phoenix Capital Grille, that could hold me for a while...just have to be careful not to slip at Taco Bell or Wendy's.

Done and done.

I could do that one too. Although I don't eat much red meat as it is but I do love it. There's very little in my life that I really depend on or do lots of... apart from cigarettes, but I'm not good to give them up right now so anything else will be no sacrifice really. I could give up drink no problem but there's not much of a sacrifice there as I could probably count on one hand how many nights I'll be drinking over the next six weeks . Hmm... this is a tough one... and I'm glad it is, cos it means apart from smoking my life's pretty healthy right now

fanch75

Heineken Helen wrote:

good on you for recognising that. I hear so much from non catholics about how catholicism is all about guilt and fear and that sounds NOTHING like the religion I was brought up with.

Yeah. That, and the "Catholics worship the dead and they put Mary above God" thing.

It's sort of like the "Obama is an extremist Muslim that hates America!" emails that keep getting forwarded.

Heineken Helen

fanch75 wrote:

Yeah. That, and the "Catholics worship the dead and they put Mary above God" thing.

It's sort of like the "Obama is an extremist Muslim that hates America!" emails that keep getting forwarded.

Oh and don't forget... ALL priests are paedophiles and ALL nuns love NOTHING more than to give a kid a whack across the arse with... well anything wooden or metal that is within reach :rolleyes:

Ms. Haiku

Here we go:

Run 20 miles/week. I get runner's high, and I feel *supported* by entities that I can't see during running, so it's very spiritual for me. Never ran 20 miles/week for more than 1 week. In fact I only did it for one week. Don't want to get too tired, that's bad. I think I can I think I can, I know I can.

Bake Bread 3 times (I haven't done this since 2002, and I have a *fear of failure*) I can see talking with God while I knead dough in the mixer. The smell of dough rising is very comforting. Potato bread here I come!

fanch75

Ms. Haiku wrote:

Here we go:

Run 20 miles/week. I get runner's high, and I feel *supported* by entities that I can't see during running, so it's very spiritual for me. Never ran 20 miles/week for more than 1 week. In fact I only did it for one week. Don't want to get too tired, that's bad. I think I can I think I can, I know I can.

Bake Bread 3 times (I haven't done this since 2002, and I have a *fear of failure*) I can see talking with God while I knead dough in the mixer. The smell of dough rising is very comforting. Potato bread here I come!

Sorry, but 1) what are you talking about and 2) what does any of this have to do with Lent?

fanch75

Heineken Helen wrote:

Oh and don't forget... ALL priests are paedophiles and ALL nuns love NOTHING more than to give a kid a whack across the arse with... well anything wooden or metal that is within reach :rolleyes:

Yeah, no kidding.

The priest scandal was terrible and was handled even worse by the Church.

My RCIA classes are taught by a nun. Very nice lady!

Heineken Helen

fanch75 wrote:

Yeah, no kidding.

The priest scandal was terrible and was handled even worse by the Church.

My RCIA classes are taught by a nun. Very nice lady!

Oh it was terrible and disgusting... and still is. Priests and nuns were more powerful than the government in this country anyway so, as with any group of people in power, you're gonna have some abuse this position and this trust people place in them. I'm not sure they'll ever know what they've done, not just to their victims, but to the church and to society in general.

There is more scandal in Ireland at the moment.. there is an inquiry into all the abuse... the archbishop of Dublin pledged that he would allow all documents relating to the abuse to be released to the tribunal. Now his predecessor (who is now a cardinal) is saying he's not going to let that happen... so at the very least it means the victims search for the truth is gonna be pushed back years while it goes through the courts... at worst what is he hiding and who's he protecting?

In saying that thuogh, there are plenty of good priests and nuns out there who easily restore my faith in the whole thing.

ajedigecko

Heineken Helen wrote:

priests get such a bad name... and only cos of a bad few. Most of the priests I've known WERE/ARE very level headed and seem genuinely good people! Of course I've also known one or two to let the power go to their heads... but they were the minority.

well said and can be applied to most professions.

i am not a catholic but i still like to sacrifice. mine will be not to purchase any outdoor gear during lent, it sounds easy but is quite difficult.

Heineken Helen

ajedigecko wrote:

well said and can be applied to most professions.

i am not a catholic but i still like to sacrifice. mine will be not to purchase any outdoor gear during lent, it sounds easy but is quite difficult.

Oh c'mon... you KNOW you can do better than that

I do have my theory on priests and paedophilia but this ain't the thread.

ajedigecko

Heineken Helen wrote:

Oh c'mon... you KNOW you can do better than that

I do have my theory on priests and paedophilia but this ain't the thread.

really....there is always a new piece of gear i "want". currently; climbing gloves $100, roof rack $300, bose in ear $100, and brush guard $200. almost forgot 4 season tent $400, snow shoes $200, ......i must stop.

wait....that is only $1300.......my stimulus check will cover.

fanch75

I considered giving up coffee, but that would be a sacrifice for not only me, but everyone around me that has to deal with me!

Heineken Helen

ajedigecko wrote:

really....there is always a new piece of gear i "want". currently; climbing gloves $100, roof rack $300, bose in ear $100, and brush guard $200. almost forgot 4 season tent $400, snow shoes $200, ......i must stop.

wait....that is only $1300.......my stimulus check will cover.

As long as you're only giving up the gear and not the outdoors :eek: I'm not sure God would approve of the latter

Hmm... maybe I can give up buying books on extreme climbing and polar exploration... it's been a while since I got one anyway so the likelihood of me buying some in the next 6 weeks is minimal

Heineken Helen

fanch75 wrote:

I considered giving up coffee, but that would be a sacrifice for not only me, but everyone around me that has to deal with me!

do you know I often thought the same... til I gave it up. I used to drink maybe 7 cups of tea and coffee a day and then on a whim decided I didn't need it and drank water instead... and I didn't miss it at all. It was pure habit, no addiction.

Although... I did kinda cheat... cos i didn't risk giving up my one cup every morning on the WAY to work