Lent Reflection_Title
 

I don’t have the free time like I did in the past to blog. That’s okay though. I understand that I’m in a different season, and whatever season is going to be thrown at me I’ll just enjoy for now.  As of now, this post is about a week late than I would like.

This year for Lent, I decided to give up something seemingly simple. I stopped adding honey (or any sweetener) to my tea.  For my family that knows me, I am I huge tea drinking fan. 

tea_tgd
 

Earl Grey in the morning, Jasmine green tea in the afternoons, Chamomile tea in the evening right before bed. Every time I drink something, it’s most likely tea. So, a huge sacrifice for me is to stop adding sweeteners my teas. That way, when I drink my tea, I am fully aware of the sacrifice that I’m making. 

One would ask why not give up tea for Lent, and the answer is simple: it’s supposed to be my sacrifice, not make everyone around me unhappy. So, no honey in my tea for Lent it is. 

 

Every day of the year is a sacrifice

 
Another reason for this seemingly simple sacrifice, is that I feel every day of the year is a day for mortification, and penance.  Not just six weeks.  

In the past, I have not given up anything, but tried to create new habits that would help me grow in holiness.  I vowed to pray the rosary daily, now I’ve done it for years.  Another year, I vowed to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and now I do it.

Another habit, or virtue, that I wanted to grow in, was not to waste my time with watching TV, I would focus on Spiritual Reading, and only consume things that was good for my soul.  These days, I don’t have a TV habit, or radio habit.  

So, this year, I was completely stumped.  I’m not online as much as I used to be, and I’m working on my vices.  Honey in my tea it is.

Now, since that was extremely easy to say (no honey) it’s another thing to do. So far I’m holding strong in my sacrifice. However, I got that strange feeling that it was not enough, so there are more things that I’m doing for Lent. 

Spiritual Reading – What I have Been Putting Off

 

Spiritual Reading Four Last Things
 

Spiritual Reading. Three books that was on my list that I decided to put off until today was:

  • The Four Last Things: Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell.
  • meditations of the Four Last Things. 
  • Preparation for Death. 

Now, you can see why I’ve put It off. No one really wants to focus on these things, but at some point we’ll have no choice. 

What prompted me to do this now was my Grandmother.  She passed away on the first day of Lent this year. I’m reminded how short life is, and if I ever do to make it to advanced age, like her (85) age, I want to have the spiritual strength to fight what’s coming my way.  You should too!

Now, On a side note, The Four Last Things  is a great book and I wish I have started to read it sooner.  There is so much clarity about what we should focus on in this life.  When I finish this book, I will share all my favorite passages.  I know that this will not be a one time only read but I will be coming back to it again and again. 

Did you take up any spiritual reading this Lent?

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