Every year as Lent approaches, my children and I brainstorm ideas for our Lenten resolutions. By choosing actions or ideas we strive to fulfill the 3 Pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, Fasting and Prayer. It can be difficult to find just the right thing to accomplish that will also lead us to a holier life on Easter Sunday.
This year I asked my children to think about ways we can use our sacrifice and preparation to Give for the 40 days of Lent instead of thinking of Lent as a time of “giving up.” Here is what they came up with:
- Have a Mass said for someone
- Pray for your Priest
- Do a chore for a family member, neighbor or friend without being asked
- Volunteer as a family
- Pray the rosary in the car instead of listening to the radio
- Read a book or play a game instead of watching our regular TV shows
- Take a meal or baked goods to a friend for no reason
- Send cards or letters in the snail mail to someone who is important to you
- Collect change in a rice bowl for Catholic Relief Services
- Visit the nursing home
- Share a smile with someone everyday
- Attend a daily Mass once a week
- Clean out your closets
- Donate money from garage sales to the church (see #13)
- Attend Adoration
- Purchase socks, undergarments and toiletries for a shelter or your school’s clothing program
- Pray a devotion or novena as a family
- Invite your parish priest or a parish staff member over for dinner
- On meatless Friday’s, avoid eating “nice” fish or seafood dinners; donate the difference to Catholic charity.
- Enjoy a nature walk to enjoy more of God’s creation
- Spend time in stillness, even if only for five minutes
- Choose one toy a week from their room to donate
- Make Pretzels, the perfect Lenten food
- Choose a short book or bible study to do with your spouse (okay, that one was for me not the kids.)
- Go to Reconciliation
- Say something positive to each family member and one stranger a day
- Eat healthier foods
- Learn about a new Saint
- Attend Stations of the Cross
- Fast from unnecessary purchases
- Invite another family over for fellowship after Mass
- Spend a few minutes praying and talking with your child at the end of the day
- Attend Mass at the Cathedral or another parish
- Pray the rosary as a family
- Compliment, not complain (Praise God)
- Do a Lenten craft found on sites like CatholicIcing.com
- Learn a new prayer (Hail Holy Queen?)
- Plant a garden
- Go to bed earlier and wake up earlier
- Create a paper chain with a different #Givefor40 action on each link. Open one link per day.
How will your family #Givefor40 this Lent?
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40 Ways to Give – Graphics
