How to Use Lent as a Time of Spiritual Reflection
During Lent, Catholics use spiritual reflection to develop a better understanding about their relationship to God and their earthly responsibilities. There are certain activities in which you can participate to promote religious meditation in your own life.
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Instructions
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Pray every day during Lent. Prayer is a type of meditation which has been shown to have positive effects on both the body and mind. Use Lent as an impetus for instituting daily prayer into your life and continue the practice even after the season has ended.
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Spend time thinking about any mistakes you have made during the past year for which you would like to ask God's forgiveness. Lent is traditionally a time of repentance for Catholics, with Easter symbolizing a new beginning through the resurrection of Christ. Use this opportunity to make your own fresh start on anything you would like to change in your own life. Don't just declare sorrow for your mistakes. Commit to correcting them.
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Give up something that you enjoy during the 40 days of Lent as an act of penance. The experience of sacrificing the enjoyment of something you love is a type of spiritual reflection traditionally practiced during Lent. Give up something you will genuinely miss, such as drinking coffee or alcohol, eating chocolate or other desserts or watching TV.
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Join a volunteer organization during Lent to show your love for God and your neighbors. Charity work offers a form of spiritual reflection through the act of giving your own time to someone in need. Volunteer to help out in your own church during Lent, remembering that this type of work is something you should aspire to do all year.
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Participate in the act of fasting during Lent as a representation of Jesus's 40 days in the desert. Fasting is another form of penance that encourages Catholics to reflect on the experience of Jesus and to think deeply about how he died for their own sins. Fasting usually involves eating only one meal per day.
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Tips & Warnings
It is a good idea to pray at the same time each day, perhpas each night before you go to bed, in order to allow time for spiritual reflection and to make it a part of your daily routine.
