What To Give Up For Lent

Featured Video: The 4th Cup

About The 4th Cup
The 4th Cup answers several questions many Christians may have about the Old and New Testaments, and how things relate in each. Two important questions that the presentation starts off with are:

Can you give an accurate definition of the phrase: "Lamb of God?" We all know this is one of the names used for Jesus, like Messiah, Savior, Son of Man, or Christ. But exactly what is the importance of the name "Lamb of God" and why is it important to me as a Catholic?
Why does the Catholic Church offer The Holy Eucharist every day at every Mass throughout the world in over 3,000 languages? What knowledge does the Catholic Church have that would encourage this for thousands of years?

Go to the4thcup.com and follow along with the full-length video presentation. Download the PDF handout and follow along!

Video: Converting Catholic

Michael Cumbie, former Pentecostal clergyman and convert to the Catholic faith, is now offering his renowned teaching, "My Catholic Conversion Story" (from the "How Then Shall We Worship" CD and DVD set) in its entirety at ConvertingCatholic.com.

In this 55-minute presentation, Mike Cumbie delivers an insightful and entertaining look into the Catholic Faith. He looks in particular at his own personal story of conversion to Catholicism from Protestantism. Click the 'Play' button on the video player to the left, and let the laughs and the learning begin! See also his teaching on "The Catholic Mass Explained." To learn more about Mike Cumbie or to order this wonderful teaching on DVD and CD, please visit MikeCumbie.org.

Many people choose to give up food items as a fast for Lent, but it is important to keep in mind the purpose of Lent is to give up something in your life that has become a distraction from Christ and your devotion to Him. As well as giving up something, it’s also about increasing other activities that reflect and improve your faith. It is important to think about what may have taken over your life and let it go. Lent is a time to practice self-control and to identify with Christ’s suffering, as well as to bring you closer to the Lord.

As you consider what to give up during this 2011 Lenten season, encourage others to do the same. If you’re married, you could ask your spouse to join you in a fast. If you have children, offer suggestions of things that are simple and maintainable enough for them to give up. While remaining humble, you can inspire and motivate your family and friends to embrace the sacrifice of this season and to grow closer to Christ!

Lent is a time to decrease the things that detract from your faith and increase the things that supplement it. Some of the things people decide to give up for Lent are:

• Television
• Internet
• Overtime at work
• Over-shopping
• Relying on credit cards
• Alcohol
• Dance clubs
• Video games
• Lifestyle clutter

View lists of what to give up for Lent during this 2011 season

About Lent

Lent is a special time in the Roman Catholic Church. It is the forty-day period of prayer and fasting before Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a season of “soul-searching,” repentance, reflection, and sacrifice. This includes the typical question of “What to give up for Lent?” When you give up something for lent, you grow closer to Christ and realize all He has given up for us. It’s not all about giving up something. It’s also about doing something extra—something you wouldn’t normally do—in preparation for Easter.

For forty days, penitents prepare themselves for Easter Sunday by prayer, self-denial, and almsgiving. This is a period of re-committal to faith in the Lord. It’s a time of sacrifice in exchange for one of the greatest sacrifices known to humanity. During Lent, we have the opportunity to learn self-control and to improve our lives as Christians. We find the things that are taking away from our love of Christ and give them up so that we may improve our lives, the lives of those around us, and our relationship with the Lord.

In order to decide each year what to give up for Lent in honor of this glorious sacrifice, it is important to understand the history of Lent and what Lent truly is meant to be. By understanding the history of Lent and what it means today, hopefully we can make an enlightened decision about what to give up for Lent.

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