Picture from: http://theblueroomblog.org/2011/03/31/lent-youre-probably-doing-it-wrong/
Then Lenten season is a widely celebrated season in the Philippines since predominantly most of the Filipinos are devout Catholics or Christians. Lent in 2012 will start today (Ash Wednesday), the 22nd of February and will continue for 46 days until Saturday, the 7th of April.
Being a Catholic, I just heard mass this noon and the priest was telling us that we should embrace this season and fast and do certain sacrifices, because we are sorry for our sins and we want to be better, and not because we just want to be practicing Catholics or Christians and show others that we follow “rules”.
I think that people in general, whether Catholic, Christian or not, can take this time to do certain sacrifices — sacrifices that would eventually help them change for the better.
I think a sacrifice should be something that would really make a change and should be hard for you to do. I am thinking of what sacrifice should I do this year. I can’t sacrifice food since I’m planning to have a baby, so what I thought about is sacrificing coffee and sacrificing shopping for anything expensive during these 46 days. If I do break my promise, I will drop a Php 100 bill for that day into my piggy bank, so that I won’t get to spend it.
Here’s a template that you can use to monitor your progress for 2012…
Lent Tracker
Goodluck, guys! Just think that you will be a better person after this exercise!
Hi Garbs.. this made me wonder and made me “google” for the answer. hehehe
I was raised practically by nuns and priests since from my grade school and college years I studied in catholic school/university. And all these years I know that Lent is the 40-day fasting period, thus we call it CUARESMA (forty). But your article said… Lent..46days from Ash Wed to Black Sat (which is right!).. Woah and that is NOT 40-days!!! LOL.. so off I went to my buddy google.. and LO and BEHOLD.. the explanation was there…
About.Com Catholicism stated: How are the 40 Days of Lent Calculated?
“….Since all Sundays—and not simply Easter Sunday—were days to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection, Christians were forbidden to fast and do other forms of penance on those days…., Sundays could not be included in the count.
Thus, in order for Lent to include 40 days on which fasting could occur, it had to be expanded to six full weeks (with six days of fasting in each week) plus four extra days—Ash Wednesday and the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday that follow it. Six times six is thirty-six, plus four equals forty. And that’s how we arrive at the 40 days of Lent!
So there!… Lent IS a 40-day preparation for Easter…
thanks Garbs…