Lenten Resolutions

Lent_1 Growing up in a non-Catholic family in the South, Lent was totally not part of my experience. I didn't even know it existed.

I knew that there was at least one day of the year when the (very few) Catholic kids in school went to Church to do something with a cross or a statue of Jesus or something, but that was the extent of my exposure.

As a result, I didn't have my parents encouraging me to do anything special for Lent. That's something I discovered as an adult, after I became Catholic.

I usually try to make a lot of small, impromptu sacrifices during Lent, but as far as making a big, overall resolution I tend towards doing something extra–a good work that is a special Lenten commission rather omission. (Don't know why that is, but I guess it's my natural tendency. Maybe I'll rethink it in the future.)

In any event, here's my 2010 overall Lenten resolution: I'm going to blog EVERY day (except Sundays).

It may not be anything big, but it'll be something.

(And, in its way, that's a denial. I'm denying myself an amount of time spent on things other than blogging. Rather than doing something else, I'll be devoting time to researching and writing blog posts for others to enjoy/derive benefit from.)

What's your overall Lenten resolution?

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

29 thoughts on “Lenten Resolutions”

  1. I’ll be looking forward to your blog posts. I’m going to try extra hard to do personal evangelization. In this effort I’m going to focus on the person themselves. Often I get too caught up the “data”. “Can’t you see it you fool? You’d be much happier if you’d read this book and submit to Catholicism!” That’s hopefully a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Instead I’m going to try, “Where are you at? What do you think? Here’s something that has really helped me – I’m curious what your thoughts are on it.”

  2. Good for you!
    I’m a father of three and a graduate student in philosophy at Catholic U, but I’m going to try to read more scripture every day. I’m also incorporating a bit of “physical mortification,” forcing myself to do 20 up-downs every morning, and eating from a tiny plate with no seconds.
    LENTEN FUNNY: A monk friend of mine joked that he was giving up “celibacy” for lent.

  3. To blog daily is not really a penance. Rather, it is a giving in to a temptation to self-aggrandizement. After years of looking at blogs, I have concluded that not all blogging is sinful, but much of it is, because it causes bloggers to get a “big head” from all the compliments they are paid (often without deserving them). To blog LESS — in fact, NOT AT ALL — during Lent would be a good penance for Mr. Akin and associates. For the rest of us, AVOIDING all blogs would be a good penance. We all should use the time therby saved for prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and genuine spiritual reading (i.e., works by or about saints, documents of the Holy See, etc.).

  4. One small meal and one a small snack every day (except Sundays), and more Bible reading, which I hope to continue after Lent, as well.
    “mmm”,
    Reading your comments, one is given to wonder… why are you here?
    I’ve been trying to think of a less self-aggrandizing blog than Jimmy’s, but I’m drawing a blank…
    Perhaps giving up offering unsolicited advice would be a good penance for some.

  5. Perhaps mmm should step away from the mirror and see a professional about his identity crisis: he seems to think he is Jiminy Cricket.

  6. Two things for me: One more small spiritual reading each day. And..getting out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off. Granted it’s a small mortification but for me it’s big!

  7. mmm,
    The problem with what you’re saying is that it generalizes far too greatly and doesn’t take into account individual circumstances.
    Let me give an example. Of course, we all know that prior to Vatican II, every Friday throughout the year was a day of abstinence. After the Council, this changed. As I understand it, the primary reason was that for really the first time in history, a very large number of Roman Catholics were those of eastern Asian countries where meat was rarely – if ever – something that most people ate. Thus, while abstinence was good penance for Roman Catholics in the West, it really wasn’t any form of penance at all for those in the East. Therefore, the law was changed such that bishops could now set a form of penance that was appropriate for their flocks, doing away with the broad, worldwide requirement of abstinence.
    The point is that what is penance for one person, or that what helps to draw one person closer to God, may not be the same for others.
    Now I don’t know Mr. Akin’s life, but I do know that he used to blog a lot and now does so much more infrequently. It may well be that blogging daily would be a very difficult thing for him to do. It may be that blogging about Catholic issues daily will result in his spending more time thinking of God than he normally would. If those “other things” that blogging will take the place of are things like watching television, for example, isn’t blogging the better option?
    As far as reading blogs go, the fact is that for me, reading the various Catholic blogs each day would be a very good thing to do for Lent. In the past, I used to read 4 or 5 Catholic blogs daily – not necessarily every post on every blog, but the ones that interested me. For the past few years, I’ve really gotten away from that, because I’ve taken a big hit in my spiritual life. I’ve fallen into spending much too much time on more worldly things, and not spending nearly as much time as I once did with my mind on holy things.
    Further, throughout these few years, there have been periods when I did check out a few of the blogs daily, and the fact is that in these periods I sinned less, prayed more, and overall spent more time involved with things of the Lord. Were I to take time out of each day this Lent to read Catholic blogs, rather than doing any of the other thins I might normally do, it would certainly be something which drew me closer to Christ.
    The point to all of this, to reiterate, is that not every act will have the same direction of spiritual impact on every person. It depends on their individual lives and particular circumstances. That’s something that applies to things besides just whether to blog or read blogs, too, mmm. You may want to consider that.
    God bless,
    Shane

  8. I have committed to reading the Bible daily…something I do not currently do, as well as applying the “Love is patient…” bit from St. Paul in my daily life.

  9. Jimmy,
    What you write about growing up non-Catholic in the South — and not knowing anything about Lent — resonates with me. I grew up PCA in Georgia, and I was in my late twenties (and on my way into the Catholic Church) before I had any idea what Ash Wednesday was. Seeing it on the calendar as a kid, I thought it was a more particular form of Arbor Day, having to do with the Ash tree. 🙂

  10. I homeschool my 5 kids. They are giving up video games and all TV except for EWTN and educational videos (school related). This is also a penance for me because I use the Wii (30 minutes each child) to motivate them to finish school quickly, completely and accurately. They are also giving up sweets and are going to do one kind secret act each day. My husband and I will give up TV, all sugar, wheat and starches and will say extra prayers besides our daily rosary and regular readings. My husband plans to spend a lot more time playing with the children (I am with them a lot)! We really like to do a lot for lent!
    I am thrilled that you will blog more! I have been reading you since 2003!

  11. Wow. I hope this benefits Jimmy, but it will certainly benefit the rest of us. Unfortunately, this will mean that the already excessive time I spend reading this blog will increase. I suppose I’ll have to make up for the difference by cutting out some prayer time.

  12. I’m giving up caffeinated beverages. Considering my great love of coffee and soda, and the fact that my third child is due in less than 2 weeks, I think it will be a hardship — but one, I hope, that will ultimately be beneficial for my mind and body.

  13. @mmm,
    I might be inclined to agree with you in general, but Jimmy Akin (please stop reading this, Jimmy) is one of the finest apologists in the online world, and probably ranks up there even when you count him among published apologetics authors of today as well. My own friend credits Jimmy Akin specifically for helping him on his journey across the Tiber towards Catholicism and his close relationship with Jesus.
    Also, you can listen to Jimmy on many episodes of Catholic Answers (live on the radio, or in podcasts from Catholic Answers). I think if you do that, you’d quickly learn that there is hardly any self-aggrandizement in anything that Jimmy says.
    If you’re only familiar with Jimmy’s online persona, I can see how you might accuse him of having such a personality, but so far as I can ascertain, Jimmy only speaks authoritatively when he makes factual and informative posts. And to convey the Church’s Magisterium in a strong voice is hardly incompatible with humility. It’s always very easy to tell when Jimmy is posting his opinion, and when he is posting fact (ecclesiastical, historical, etc).
    Sorry, it really sounds like I’m bootlicking, but in all honestly, taking a pot-shot at his Lenten intention strikes me as contentious and petty.
    However, even though your tone didn’t convey such thoughts, if you are really only charitably worried about Jimmy’s humility, I’m sure he appreciates such feedback.
    I for one am very happy that I’ll have a reason to read him often again!
    -Chris

  14. I’m going to give up all sweets (usually I give up candy and eat lots of cake).
    I also usually try and add 3-5 things (Magnificat Lenten blook, In Conversation with God, Little black book, ect.) to do per day which I never end up doing, so this year I’ve decided just to focus on one of them (Little black book) and try and make the best of it.
    I’ve also given up most of the apps on my iPhone (gasp!).

  15. I’m giving up sports watching and sports news, including of course online activities like forums. Sundays excepted, and the only other exception I made for myself is if one of my three favorite teams makes the finals of the NCAA basketball tournament (which might be after Lent, anyways, not sure). Giving up the first Thursday of March Madness, not to mention spring camp of Red Sox baseball is going to be pretty tough, but worth it. My intention (but not commitment) is to spend the extra time in general religious reading (like visiting this blog perhaps) or the more formal Office of Readings, which I only get to infrequently.

  16. Giving up candy (I tend to rotate: candy, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine– although caffeine gets removed from the equation when it would be more of a penance on the part of my family or co-workers than on my part) this year, and aiming to be less snappy to those who are close to me.
    Related to MMM’s post– you doing more blogging would be good for other folks. I know I’d greatly appreciate it– your blogging tends to be like a good steak, healthy yet enjoyable, and taking some time to digest properly.

  17. Jimmy, it may be wise to put up a post asking for ideas for topics– two fold, since it would let you give service to others and would help you spend more time on quality of blogging than coming up with ideas!

  18. My approach is similar to Foxfier, in that I usually give up something on the order of what he notes. Several years ago it was coffee here at work, and I never resumed that, so it’s off the list. I still drink it in the morning before I go to work, however. Any alcohol is on the list this year.
    I also have been trying to do a positive act. Last year, it was to read St. Francis deSales’ “Introduction to the Devout Life”. I found that to be excellent, although it was so densely packed with good information I had to read it very slowly to contemplate the lessons. I’m going to do something similiar this year.
    I usually also try to avoid a bad distraction or inclination. I’m easily diverted from work by the computer, so I’m trying to work on that.

  19. I’m doing–as in giving up–chocolate, but adding littler things, like ‘obey speed limits’ when I drive, and avoiding most talk radio (except Dennis Miller, since he is always upbeat and avoids meanness like the plague, and RelevantRadio). I need to do more praying, and need to involve my 14 yo so we’re going to be doing the Evening Office together! Also, one Holy Hour a week.

  20. Spencer: If you give up pillows *be sure* to use something else to support your head while sleeping. You can *permanently damage* your neck if you don’t.

  21. SteveL, in reponse to you getting straight out of bed…
    A former pastor once joked that his pastoral vicar honored the Trinity every morning by hitting his snooze button three times, once for the Father, once for the Son, and once for the Holy Spirit!

  22. If you give up pillows *be sure* to use something else to support your head while sleeping. You can *permanently damage* your neck if you don’t.
    Yow! That’s scary, especially considering that I sometimes find it more comfortable NOT to have anything under my head. On the other hand, this shows how smart Jacob was in using a rock for a pillow. I always thought he would have been more comfortable without one than with such a hard one. Clearly the Scriptures can provide a reliable guide in surprising ways.

  23. Hmm. I might have to reconsider no pillows then. Was trying to think of something non-food that would be very difficult.

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