I have avoided sharing my particular Lenten “disciplines” for a number of reasons. I have a feeling in my gut that the second I start posting about what I am doing, giving up, adding in, etc., I will become victim to the sin of pride or the sin or judging others rashly or unjustly, or any number of sins. There are a few close family and friends with whom I have shared the plan. This is inevitable. For instance, I wouldn’t attempt to make any major change to my daily life without at least informing my wife and our children. And in that regard, it is my responsibility to teach all of them and to form them in the faith – including in the practice of the faith.
Suffice it to say that this Lent is a little different than in the past. For all of the evil afforded by the internet, there are some very good things too. I have seen such incredible writing and heard such beautiful sermons and talks on what a traditional Lenten observance looks like that it has inspired me this year to do more than I ever have. I won’t link to them here because there are truly many of them. I’m guessing we’re all visiting the same handful of sites every day anyway. But I know I am not alone in this as many of my friends and relatives (especially the men) have all mentioned similar things to me about fasting in particular. I believe this is a grace of God that we all appear to be converging on the same things around this time of year.
All that being said, I got a text this afternoon from a friend that said:
“Musings of a Trad Dad without a blog… Our Blessed Lord took upon Himself all the sins of the world… and my fat ass wants to curl up in a ball in the corner and whimper because I haven’t eaten for 24 hours. I suck. That’s all.”
After I laughed and asked his permission to use that text, he followed up with:
“I have to get to heaven because I am such a wuss, I won’t be able to deal with hell.”
So you see, the Lord goes out of His way to help us stay humble. Speaking of humility, Fr. Ripperger, in one of his talks, suggests that for a Lenten practice we ask our guardian angels to “interiorly humiliate us”. Thank you, Father, and NO. I want to live. My angel could do some serious damage with the things about me he could flash into my mind.
Only 39 more days to go.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 