Lenten Penance

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Lenten Penance
Topic Started: Tuesday, 17. February 2009, 00:19 (497 Views)
denis	Tuesday, 17. February 2009, 00:19 Post #1
Posts: 122 Group: Members Member #34 Joined: October 12, 2006	Has any Member made any promises to give or do anything for Lent the, 40 days of Penance/ e.g Give up sweets Give up Fags Give up watching TV one day a week Give up using the PC one day a week Give up sugar Private visit to Church Special prayers Rosary etc I always have good intentions but always seem to fail Edited by denis, Tuesday, 17. February 2009, 00:21.



Derekap	Tuesday, 17. February 2009, 20:31 Post #2
Posts: 3,408 Group: Members Member #14 Joined: September 26, 2006	In my younger days the priests used to urge everyone not to go to the cinemas nor dances (the forerunner of discos) and give up smoking. However, locally two of the cinemas were owned and run by a Catholic businessman and you WERE URGED to attend dances celebrating St Patrick's Day.
	Derekap


Josephine	Thursday, 19. February 2009, 19:13 Post #3
Posts: 308 Group: Members Member #25 Joined: September 27, 2006	Gave up wine last year. That was a "toughie". Knew it would be but still was slightly surprised at how hard. However, if it was easy it wouldn't be a sacrifice, would it? Will I do it again this year? Haven't decided yet. Certainly a "possible" - unless I can think of something harder. And yes, I do positive things as well.



Mrs.Pogle	Monday, 23. February 2009, 14:49 Post #4
Happy Couple! Posts: 825 Group: Members Member #219 Joined: February 2, 2009	I intend to practise a certain amount of penance and some small acts of corporeal mortification during Lent, but it's a subject that's difficult to discuss, as most people tend to throw their hands up in horror! I have found it very helpful in the past when practised sensibly. Edited by Mrs.Pogle, Monday, 23. February 2009, 14:50.
	"Living Life on the Home Front!" My Blog: Life on the Home Front “It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find Him in her housekeeping.” ~ St. Frances of Rome


Gerard	Monday, 23. February 2009, 15:07 Post #5
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	nearest emoticon to throwing hands up in horror.........
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


Mrs.Pogle	Monday, 23. February 2009, 15:18 Post #6
Happy Couple! Posts: 825 Group: Members Member #219 Joined: February 2, 2009	!! There is an excellent article on the subject here: The Enduring Value of Corporeal Mortification... Edited by Mrs.Pogle, Monday, 23. February 2009, 15:19.
	"Living Life on the Home Front!" My Blog: Life on the Home Front “It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find Him in her housekeeping.” ~ St. Frances of Rome


Gerard	Monday, 23. February 2009, 15:56 Post #7
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	I tried the link but got the error message "file broken and cannot be repaired" maybe too much corporeal mortification ? Gerry
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


Mrs.Pogle	Monday, 23. February 2009, 16:04 Post #8
Happy Couple! Posts: 825 Group: Members Member #219 Joined: February 2, 2009	It opens ok for me Gerry, but it is a pdf file, so perhaps your Adobe Reader isn't up to date!
	"Living Life on the Home Front!" My Blog: Life on the Home Front “It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find Him in her housekeeping.” ~ St. Frances of Rome


KatyA	Monday, 23. February 2009, 16:13 Post #9
Administrator Posts: 5,391 Group: Admin Member #6 Joined: September 26, 2006	No problem opening the file. This is the intro. Quote: (A shorter version of this article appeared in Homiletic and Pastoral Review, July, 2005.) Recently, the practice of corporal mortification has become somewhat of a “cause celebre” as a result of the anti-Catholic novel The Da Vinci Code. In it, an Opus Dei monk beats himself in gruesome rituals which caricature and sensationalize the Church’s traditional practices of penance and love for the cross. (By the way, in Opus Dei there are no monks, only lay people and secular priests.) On the other hand the Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ, confronts viewers of all religious traditions with the reality of suffering as an integral aspect of love and union with God. The purpose of this essay is to explore the biblical, spiritual, and historical roots of corporal mortification, and to show its continued pertinence to men and women of today’s world. I think Gerard's reaction would not be exceptional these days, and yet, reading the lives of the saints - even reading about Fatima - this kind of mortification was normal practice.



Gerard	Monday, 23. February 2009, 16:53 Post #10
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	Possibly my Adobe. But I would have been interested to see what the Biblical basis was. Certainly not "take up your cross and follow me" because a "cross" made for oneself is not "your cross" This is discussed within CCR and we take the view that life and the Christian walk produce sufficient "crosses" without going and making up some more. Also, we consider that one is expected to look after one's body rather than do violence to it (however mildly it is claimed to be) Gerry
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


KatyA	Monday, 23. February 2009, 17:33 Post #11
Administrator Posts: 5,391 Group: Admin Member #6 Joined: September 26, 2006	Unfortunately the article is too lengthy to copy in full. I found an article by the same author,Fr. Michael Giesler A Brief Defense of Corporal Mortification but sadly not including the biblical references



Gerard	Monday, 23. February 2009, 18:33 Post #12
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	OK I got it opened. More a book than an article. But lets look at the first paragraph - and this does have a Biblical reference: Quote: “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:24-25). Such are Christ’s paradoxical words, seemingly so harsh in their expression yet so beautiful in their promise. Their immediate context is his coming passion and death, which will bring salvation to the world, but in Christian literature they are also used to explain the method and purpose of personal mortification. By quoting directly from the Founder of Christianity, the author of the fourth Gospel urges his reader to remember the positive effects that can come from generous self-sacrifice. And it involves the usual mish mash of perverse interpretation of the text and deliberate confusion of the various meanings of the word "mortification" with an extra touch of confusion about self sacrifice. John 12:24-25 is clearly about attaching more importance to the life of the spirit than to the life of the flesh. This is not recommending that one inflicts pain on oneself. And generous self-sacrifice is about putting others first not about a self centred inflicting of pain on oneself. One can see again the allusion to "Christ suffered therefore I must do the same". But the cross was His cross. Your cross is what life and/or your Christian walk throws at you. Gerry Edited by Gerard, Monday, 23. February 2009, 18:38.
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


Gerard	Monday, 23. February 2009, 19:22 Post #13
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	Dennis, To answer your question, two years ago I gave up tea. Well to be more accurate I tried to give up tea but was forced to take one cup a day in order to keep the headache away (did you know we are all addicted to caffien). Anyway I considered one cup a day to be a great success. Last year I tried again but failed miserably. Dont know about this year............. Gerry
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


KatyA	Thursday, 26. February 2009, 14:11 Post #14
Administrator Posts: 5,391 Group: Admin Member #6 Joined: September 26, 2006	VATICAN CITY, 26 FEB 2009 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Ash Wednesday, Benedict XVI led a penitential procession from the church of Sant'Anselmo on Rome's Aventine Hill to the nearby basilica of Santa Sabina where he presided at a Eucharistic celebration. During the ceremony the ashes were imposed upon him by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, titular of Santa Sabina, after which the Pope himself imposed the ashes upon cardinals, bishops and a number of faithful. In his homily the Pope highlighted how "the call to conversion emerges as the dominant theme" in today's liturgy. Having then recalled how the Church is currently celebrating the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of St. Paul, he explained that the Apostle was "aware of having been chosen as an example. This exemplarity status concerns conversion, the transformation of his life brought about thanks to the merciful love of God". "St. Paul recognised that everything in him was the work of divine grace, yet he did not forget the need to accept freely the gift of new life received at Baptism". "How can we fulfil our baptismal vocation?" the Holy Father asked. "How can we emerge victorious from the battle between the flesh and the spirit, between good and evil, the battle that characterises our lives? Today's Gospel reading shows us three useful means to this end: prayer, alms and fasting. "In this context", he added, "we also find useful references in the life and writings of St. Paul". The Apostle exhorts us to "persevere" in prayer, and to "pray without ceasing". On the subject of almsgiving, he speaks of "the great collection in favour of our poor brethren" and underlines how "charity is the apex of a believer's life. ... He does not expressly mention fasting, but he often calls for sobriety as a characteristic of people called to live in vigilant expectation of the Lord". "May Lent", said Pope Benedict concluding his homily, "marked by more frequent contact with the Word of God, by more intense prayer, and by a severe and penitential lifestyle, be a stimulus to convert and to love our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and needy". VIS



Mrs.Pogle	Friday, 27. February 2009, 14:52 Post #15
Happy Couple! Posts: 825 Group: Members Member #219 Joined: February 2, 2009	Quote: "marked by more frequent contact with the Word of God, by more intense prayer, and by a severe and penitential lifestyle, be a stimulus to convert and to love our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and needy". I'm glad to read this! In our Ash Wednesday homily, my priest said that in times past, Lent was a time of strict observance and penance, but "we don't do that anymore" ~ I was really disappointed to hear it. Why don't we do that anymore? What has changed? It seems that as long as you fill the CAFOD envelope and keep a Friday fast that's not likely to make you feel very hungry, you've fulfilled your obligation. I know for me, the harshness of the Lent penitiential season is of great spiritual benefit, not least in taking away all the little comforts that I have built up around myself through the year. Take them away, and the depth of my weakness and sinfulness is revealed... Another thing that I have wondered is how we have progressed from severe and penitential lifestyle to making Lenten resolutions such as "spending more time in the garden" or "eating more fruit"...these are things I have read, not made up. I suspect we have lost much of the true Lenten spirit since Vatican II. I am reading "Growing in Holiness" by Father F.W. Faber (1859) during Lent, and there is a wonderful chapter on the benefits of mortification which I wish I could share with you! It is out of print, and I was blessed indeed to find a relatively cheap copy on Amazon. Edited by Mrs.Pogle, Friday, 27. February 2009, 14:52.
	"Living Life on the Home Front!" My Blog: Life on the Home Front “It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find Him in her housekeeping.” ~ St. Frances of Rome


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