Ash Wednesday thoughts and links

It's that day again where Catholics flock to Mass for a day that isn't even a Holy Day of Obligation!  I think it's because repentance is something we can all understand we need a little more of in our lives.  This is a day where Catholics are "bound" to fast and to abstain from eating meat.  I found it so interesting as I listened to the DJ on Catholic Radio use the word "bound" this morning.  I thought it a rather good word choice.  Basically, if you consider yourself Catholic, you bind yourself to this Church if you choose and therefore carry out certain practices.  We're obligated to fast and abstain in so far as we commit ourselves to living a life in the Church.  It's not about what we can't do (eat :) ) but who we choose to be.

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Going to Mass with a toddler is always interesting and I never know just what will make it's way through the distractions to me.  This morning it was the Opening prayer (yes, were actually there on time, shock! and I had to call myself on my pride... really, about being on time for Church... yup, it's not like it happens that often)  Aaanyway.  So here's some text of the opening prayer in case you were also being distracted by a toddler with the little Disney Cars cars almost quietly zooming up and down the kneeler:

"Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service,
so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint..."  How's that for telling it like it is!?

We ask (through the words of the priest) that God would bless this first day of Lent, that he might make our fasting holy today.  See the first link below for more on holy fasting, I think Meg says it well so I won't be repetitious.  Also the prayer is referring to the 6 weeks of Lent as a campaign of Christian service.  It's a time of doing.  We decide on our actions by asking ourselves what will we fast from (or "give up"), what will we give (charity), and what will we do to increase our prayer?  Only the individual person can assess their own spiritual condition but I would advise anyone to take it to prayer.  Allow God into your "campaign of Christian service."  After all, isn't he the ultimate model for such service?

The second line of the prayer helped me once again to see the value of fasting in my life.  If I want to be spiritually strong I need to have self-control, it a tool given to us by God but developed through our willing practice.  And I need all the practice I can get.  I don't know about you but if I'm going up against spiritual evils you better believe I want all the weapons possible.

I pray that God blesses you during Lent in whatever way you are in most need!


La La Lenten Linkage:

I found this post by Meg to be an excellent call to action when I was thinking "yeah, yeah, we fast every year..."

This post was written by Tim O'Malley about Pope Benedict's resignation and what it can teach us during Lent.

Dealing with infertility?  Here's a fantastic post about how you can use that experience to grow during Lent and Holy Week.  This was another great read in preparation for Lent.  (would be good even if not dealing with IF :)