What will I give up for Lent

On February 22, 2023 By Lee (@disciple96)In Lent, Seasonal2 Comments

+JMJ+ During His forty days in the desert Jesus undid the temptations of the fall: pleasures, possessions and pride* and He did so by resisting the temptation to eat, to rule all the kingdoms of the world (I did giggle when the Devil offered that to Christ the King of the Universe), and to exalt Himself (as if He could exalt Himself anymore than He already was exalted, what with being God and all). Lent gives us a chance to join Him in overcoming our ancient enemy and his tactics, his temptations, and overcoming our weakness. And do we ever come face to face with our own weakness during Lent!

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Ash Wednesday is almost here

On February 21, 2023 By Lee (@disciple96)In Lent, SeasonalLeave a comment

+JMJ+ Yesterday I shared a couple of things about Ash Wednesday and Lent in the Church against the charge that they have pagan roots. Today I want to add more to that, some videos that I think are interesting and helpful. First, a video from Dr. Brant Pitre, then two by Fr. Mike Schmitz, and one by Fr. Chris Alar, three of my favorite Catholic teachers and speakers.

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Ack! Ash Wednesday is, well, Wednesday!

On February 20, 2023February 21, 2023 By Lee (@disciple96)In Lent, SeasonalLeave a comment

+JMJ+ How is it possible? I say I’m going to prepare early for Lent every year and every year Lent begins with me scrambling around at the last minute. We’ve still got a couple of days. Here are some things I’ve found tonight. First up, something that will come in handy for most of us who have non-Catholic friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors: “No, Ash Wednesday/Lent is not pagan,” a post and an audio file. Then some helpful things to help us make this Lent a blessed and spiritual occasion. (Note: I added sort of a part two of this post containing four videos I found helpful.)

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Ash Wednesday: Into the desert again

On March 2, 2022February 20, 2023 By Lee (@disciple96)In Lent, Spiritual LifeLeave a comment

+JMJ+ Seems like we’ve been in a spiritual wasteland for a couple of years now but here it is again, Ash Wednesday. Time to head into the desert once more. Yet even in the midst of all the trouble and trials we’ve been going through, we can make this a fruitful Lent and a time to grow deeper in our love of God, even if we haven’t been feeling the love for a while.

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Your Best Catolic Lent Yet

On February 28, 2022February 28, 2022 By Lee (@disciple96)In Lent, Spiritual LifeLeave a comment

+JMJ+ Lent begins on Wednesday. That’s just two days away! At least I don’t have to flail about like I do most years, wondering what to do, what to give up, etc. This year I’m going to do some spiritual exercises from the Sermon on the Mount to make this my best Catholic Lent ever! Join me and make this your best Catholic Lent ever, too. I’ll give a brief overview of these spiritual exercises in this post, but you can read more about them and what they are meant to remedy in the ongoing Catholic Book of the Month series, currently featuring Brant Pitre’s Introduction to the Spiritual Life (scroll down that page for the book’s posts).

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Praying for the Holy Souls, Praying for Despairing Souls

On February 10, 2016 By Lee (@disciple96)In Divine Mercy in My Soul, Lent, Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls, Seasonal, Spiritual ReadingLeave a comment

Tonight I watched EWTN Live on Ash Wednesday as Fr. Mitch Pacwa interviewed Susan Tassone, author of many books about the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Her latest book, The Saint Faustina Prayer Book for the Holy Souls, is due to be released in April. Tassone made a study of Saint Faustina’s writings on Purgatory in her Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, and collects them in her book, along with prayers and novenas. I’m looking forward to getting a copy of this.

Whenever I hear a train whistle I will think of this article

After watching the show I searched the internet for more about the Holy Souls and stumbled across this article at the Divine Mercy website and I want to share it with you: This is the Sound of a Lost Soul. I will never again hear a train whistle without thinking of this article and of all the despairing souls all over the world, so much in need of our prayers. Lord, have mercy.

Thanks for reading and may your Lenten season be one of deepening holiness, prayer, and interior life. God bless.

Remember, O, man, that thou art dust

On March 11, 2011March 11, 2011 By Lee (@disciple96)In Seasonal, Spiritual LifeLeave a comment

“Remember, O, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.”

With these words the priest made the Sign of the Cross on my forehead with the ashes of last Palm Sunday’s palm fronds. A few minutes later I received Holy Communion with the Sign of Christ’s Redemptive Act marking me as His. A few minutes after that I was once again out in the world, still bearing His Mark on my forehead, still bearing His Presence within.

So began the Lenten season marking my fifteenth year as a child of Holy Mother Church. May I become ever more faithful, ever more devout, ever more aware of what it truly means to be His disciple. May I truly be filled with the spirit of Christ. And I pray all of these things for you, too. For the Greater Glory of God. In the name of Christ, His Son. In the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lenten Workshop at CatholicCulture.org.
Meditations on the Stations of the Cross, Belmont Abbey

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood

On February 15, 2010February 15, 2010 By Lee (@disciple96)In Action Alerts, Pro-life, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

40 Days for Life begins on Ash Wednesday. What a perfect way to practice our Christianity in our daily lives! Prayer and fasting are part of Lent every year. Combine these spiritual disciplines with prayerful peaceful vigil outside abortion clinics, and you have a marvelous way to jumpstart your spiritual life. That’s what I experienced last fall when I participated in 40 DFL for the first time. Ash Wednesday is the day after tomorrow and in preparation I’ve been reading John Paul II’s Gospel of Life, Fr. Pavone’s Ending Abortion, Not Just Fighting It along with his Pro-life Reflections for Every Day, and my beloved Bible. Oh, is that Bible ever dog-eared, heavily marked in and highlighted, filled with prayer cards and bookmarks. It’s one of my favorite companions and its cloth zipper cover is beginning to wear out on one corner.