Exercises during Lent

The basic exercise during Lent is listening to Jesus, traditionally remembering the voice during Jesus’ baptism, which said, “This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased.” (Matthew 3: 17).
Immediately following his baptism Jesus went to the wilderness to fast for 40 days and 40 nights.
Speculations are many about why he went there to fast and exactly what he did. What is clear is that while there he did spiritual exercises, and so when he was tempted he had the strength to make tough decisions, clarity about God and what kind of a person God wanted him to be.
Today, as Christians go on spiritual exercises, they are expected to find strength to make tough decisions, gain clarity of their experience with God and be guided on the kind of persons they can become.
It’s easy to be caught in the web of work, school, relationships, and family. Distractions take us away from living a life with Christ – endless talks, alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, or running away.
We need to take spiritual exercises to pray and figure out where God is in our lives, and where God is calling us to serve.
We need to re-focus our lives. We need to return to Christ by fasting on all that distract us and work on purifying our minds, our lives and our bodies.
We do spiritual exercises to return to the One who loves us — Jesus who can help us simplify our lives.
I suggest the following exercises:
Skip one meal a day and give the money you save to the poor.
Keep a regular prayer cadence – pray before brushing your teeth, after going to the CR, or before work on your computer.
Read a chapter in the Bible a day. 15 minutes of daily Bible reading could be your best investment.
Forgive someone who doesn’t deserve to be forgiven; you, yourself, for instance, or the best friend who betrayed you.
Give up beer or sodas, then increase your church offering.
Spend at least 30 minutes a day in silence; break the silence only when your talk gives a better alternative.
Write someone a thank you letter, or a letter of comfort.
Say a nice thing, or give your best smile to someone each day.
Pray for others on your way to work or school.
Spend at least 1 hour a week with a child below 5 years old, and another 1 hour with a person above 75 years old.
For feedback, you may send to uccp_mario@yahoo.com