Choosing a Good Lenten Penance

Many Catholics “give up” something, like coffee or sweets, or add something, like extra prayer time, during the Lenten season. One goal of this excellent practice to lessen the hold that material attachments have on us. That way, we become better able to resist temptations since we have practice denying our appetites and our will.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you evaluate if you have chosen a penance that is appropriate for your state in life and stage of spiritual development!

Is your chosen Lenten penance actually a challenge for you?

This may seem obvious, but think about it – does your Lenten penance actually challenge you? If you give up sweets year-after-year, but you don’t have a sweet tooth, it’s probably not the right penance for you. If you are planning on giving up social media, but you actually feel relieved to have it out of your life, it’s not really a penance either! (Maybe cut down on social media AND give up something else as well.)

Is the penance you have taken on too challenging? Or are you taking on too many penances?

Be realistic. Don’t take on too much because you will probably just end up giving up on all your resolutions! You will then feel discouraged and be less likely to take on penances in the future.

If you feel guilty about planning on doing less, remember that St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, said “Make few resolutions. Make specific resolutions. And fulfill them with the grace of God” (The Way, 249, emphasis added). St. Josemaria knew that we are human and get overwhelmed by doing too much, too soon. It is better to follow through on little resolutions than not to follow through at all on big resolutions!

Is it a penance for you AND for others around you?

Don’t give something up if it will cause others undue discomfort or unhappiness. It is supposed to be a penance for YOU not for the people around you!

For example, my husband has a demanding job so drinks a lot of caffeine. If he suddenly gave up all caffeine “cold turkey,” he would probably be very grumpy and much less productive. Instead, he is going to give up energy drinks, which will be hard for him, but less unpleasant for everyone else!

So, what are you giving up for Lent?

Ask yourself these questions–but most important: ask the Holy Spirit for guidance to help you decide! The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert and will lead you, too!

Comment below and tell us what you are sacrificing in your life this Lent.

Have a blessed Lent!

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Virginia

Virginia has her M.A. in Counseling and currently works as a therapist at a Catholic counseling agency, specializing in working with children (and their parents), teenage girls, and mothers. She also gets some very "hands-on" experience parenting her two young children - who have become Holy Heroes fans! As the eldest of the "Adventure Guides," she has played a big part in developing so many Holy Heroes products and adventures. She wrote the scripts for lots of "Adventure" videos, as well as writing and directing the first "Inside the Sacraments" video (The Holy Eucharist). She wrote Glory Stories Volume 8, "Best-loved Catholic Prayers and Prayers of the Mass," and Volume 13, "Secrets from Heaven - The Story of the Children of Fatima" (her favorite!). Most recently, she co-created the Holy Heroes Spiritual Adoption Adventure with her former college roommate. She continues to enjoy blogging for Holy Heroes.