Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Lent: Reflections (Day 1)

Since deciding to practice the discipline of lent back in college I try each year to participate in a few things on this first day to set my mind in it's correct place.

Read the Lent entry from the Catholic Encyclopedia over on New Advent (This is an ancient web resource already online back in 1996)
Read Thomas Aquinas' work on Fasting in Summa Theologica.
Decide the nature and scope of my fast to the Lord.
Choose a section of scripture to commit to memory during this period.

This year I found a wonderful post on Fasting and Frugality that I plan on returning to in future years. As I was reading and preparing for my decision making I decided to participate in a daylight fast this year from food and sweetners. I also committed to the memorization of James 1. It is my hope that these acts will combine to give me a more "sacrificial" oriented worldview throughout the year.

- Romans 16:17-19 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

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