A 1st Sunday of Lent Thought About Buckets to Fill
Lent requires resolve. If you take this Holy Season seriously, you've made a commitment to special prayers, almsgiving, and penance.You might think of them as buckets to fill throughout these 40 days in more or less equal parts. If you haven't given this much thought yet, Sunday provides the perfect time to do so.
I find that during these early days of Lent, I need to firm up the habit of consistently applying myself to the special prayers, charitable works (almsgiving) and acts of penance I've written out.
Yes, I write them down. I keep them with me each day to remind me of my commitment. And as Lent begins to unfold, it's important to take a look - maybe even more than once a day - at what I've written down. That's how I get into the habit or routine I need to assure consistency in carrying out my commitment.
One way to help keep my focus is this idea of buckets. I've got a bucket for prayer, another for almsgiving, and, finally, one for penance.
It's a simple idea. And anything that helps keep my commitment in focus will be most welcome.
The coming week, though, will likely prove challenging. Once the work week starts, other commitments can easily supplant my prayer, almsgiving, and penance. So I need to take a few moments to ask God for the grace I'll need to keep up my resolve in the face of what will likely be a flow - if not a flood - of important and urgent tasks that require full attention and effort each day.
In addition to asking God for the grace to be resolute, there's that little practical twist of "buckets" that might help me this week. I need to fill each of my three buckets every day: penance, almsgiving, prayer. As the day begins, I gather my buckets and carry them with me into the work day. There they'll sit, waiting to be filled. How will that go?
On a really busy day, I may have only a few moments to grab lunch. Will I be able to take the three minutes after saying grace to delay eating - one mortification that's part of my penance bucket.
If I encounter a particularly difficult person in the midst of that busy day, will I be able to engage him or her in a calm, charitable manner - a part of my almsgiving bucket.
What about my prayer bucket? It's likely I'll stick to my usual routine that begins when I wake up with the Morning Offering. But what about those special prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory? Will I fulfill my commitment to pray for a living soul who appears not to be practicing their Catholic Faith anymore? Or will the busy-ness that can overtake me on some days nudge out the time I should have set aside for prayer?
Considering my track record here, it'll be nip and tuck. How many times I've sailed through a super-busy day, ending it tired and bleary-eyed with hardly a passing thought to God, never mind any dedicated time for prayer. But hey, this is Lent. L-E-N-T. Even as my devotions have suffered during the rest of the year, Lent needs to be an exception.
Will Lent prove to be the exception or will the rule of my unruly will trump my spiritual intentions?
Time will tell. For now, on this 1st Sunday of Lent, without the pressure of work deadlines or the intrusion of clients, customers, co-workers and commuters, I can pray for the grace I will need. And, boy will I need it!
Lord, grant me the fortitude to press on with my special prayers, penances and works of charity during Lent. By the graces that flow from the immense Love and Mercy of Thy Sacred Heart, help me to fill my buckets faithfully each day of this Holy Season.
I find that during these early days of Lent, I need to firm up the habit of consistently applying myself to the special prayers, charitable works (almsgiving) and acts of penance I've written out.
Yes, I write them down. I keep them with me each day to remind me of my commitment. And as Lent begins to unfold, it's important to take a look - maybe even more than once a day - at what I've written down. That's how I get into the habit or routine I need to assure consistency in carrying out my commitment.
One way to help keep my focus is this idea of buckets. I've got a bucket for prayer, another for almsgiving, and, finally, one for penance.
It's a simple idea. And anything that helps keep my commitment in focus will be most welcome.
The coming week, though, will likely prove challenging. Once the work week starts, other commitments can easily supplant my prayer, almsgiving, and penance. So I need to take a few moments to ask God for the grace I'll need to keep up my resolve in the face of what will likely be a flow - if not a flood - of important and urgent tasks that require full attention and effort each day.
In addition to asking God for the grace to be resolute, there's that little practical twist of "buckets" that might help me this week. I need to fill each of my three buckets every day: penance, almsgiving, prayer. As the day begins, I gather my buckets and carry them with me into the work day. There they'll sit, waiting to be filled. How will that go?
On a really busy day, I may have only a few moments to grab lunch. Will I be able to take the three minutes after saying grace to delay eating - one mortification that's part of my penance bucket.
If I encounter a particularly difficult person in the midst of that busy day, will I be able to engage him or her in a calm, charitable manner - a part of my almsgiving bucket.
What about my prayer bucket? It's likely I'll stick to my usual routine that begins when I wake up with the Morning Offering. But what about those special prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory? Will I fulfill my commitment to pray for a living soul who appears not to be practicing their Catholic Faith anymore? Or will the busy-ness that can overtake me on some days nudge out the time I should have set aside for prayer?
Considering my track record here, it'll be nip and tuck. How many times I've sailed through a super-busy day, ending it tired and bleary-eyed with hardly a passing thought to God, never mind any dedicated time for prayer. But hey, this is Lent. L-E-N-T. Even as my devotions have suffered during the rest of the year, Lent needs to be an exception.
Will Lent prove to be the exception or will the rule of my unruly will trump my spiritual intentions?
Time will tell. For now, on this 1st Sunday of Lent, without the pressure of work deadlines or the intrusion of clients, customers, co-workers and commuters, I can pray for the grace I will need. And, boy will I need it!
Lord, grant me the fortitude to press on with my special prayers, penances and works of charity during Lent. By the graces that flow from the immense Love and Mercy of Thy Sacred Heart, help me to fill my buckets faithfully each day of this Holy Season.
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
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