40 Ideas for the 40 Days of Lent

Fr. Bolek has given us some ideas of things we can do for the 40 Days of Lent.

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FORTY things to Consider doing for LENT to grow in your intimacy with the Most Holy Trinity.

1. Cut media consumption to open time for prayer, service, and personal relationship with others. Start and end each day free from the influence of the media.  Fewer pixels more people. 
2. Use at least some of your drive time in the car to listen to Catholic radio, talks or audio books, instead of news, sports, and music.
3. Make an extensive examination of conscience, and plan to get to confession before Easter.
4. Cut back purchases of luxuries, and give the saved money to the needy.
5. Commit to a daily time of quiet prayer; don’t do all the talking. Listen to God.
6. Make a list of things you are grateful for; review and add to it every day. 
7. Find a form of Lenten fast appropriate for you given your age, health, and state of life.
8. Get to daily Mass as often as possible, even if it is just one extra Mass a week.
9. Learn the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Identify one to begin incorporating into your life this Lent.
10. Watch Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” during Lent or Holy Week, and invite someone to watch it with you.
11. Read a portion of scripture every day.
12. Spiritually adopt someone preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation this Easter praying for him or her throughout Lent.
13. Spend some time each week in Eucharistic Adoration.
14. Visit an adoration chapel for some moments of silent prayer.  Better yet, commit to a weekly hour in the chapel. 
15. Attend a Parish Mission or Lenten Retreat; invite others to join you. 
16. Instead of secular videos for weekend entertainment, try some videos that will enrich your spiritual life.
17. Recite the “Our Father” everyday slowly and thoughtfully; expand to three times per day.
18. Forgive those who have offended you or your loved ones. Pray for the person who’s been the most hurtful or annoying.
19. Make it a habit of looking people in the eye and saying, “God bless you.”
20. Develop your relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary: the rosary, novena, scapular, medal, pilgrimages, devotional prayers, consecrations etc.
21. Wake up on time at the same time without using snooze. 
22. Invite someone who doesn’t regularly attend Holy Mass to come to church with you.
23. Reach out to the least important, least popular, most ignored person at school, home, or work.
24. Read or listen to a biography of a saint.
25. Begin/widen the practice of praying the rosary.
26. Make it a daily practice to pray for Holy Father’s intentions which are truly universal. And also, for at least one particular need beyond the frontiers of your native land.
27. Make the Stations of the Cross either alone, or better yet, with others.
28. Visit someone lonely in the neighborhood, in the hospital, in a nursing home, or in prison.   
29. Commit to making an examination of conscience each night before bed.
30. Prayerfully consider making a pilgrimage.
31. Before work, chores or study, make a conscience decision to offer up whatever you are doing in love of God and in loving intercession for some person or special need.
32. Pray regularly for those whose rights and dignity are trampled, and for those responsible for their pain. Look for a way to help.
33. Invite someone to join you for Easter Sunday Mass; offer to pick them up & drive them home. 
34. Look for opportunities to volunteer for the least desirable jobs, and serve those who are least worthy, and least grateful.
35. Find out what the Sign of the Cross really means, and begin making it in a less mechanical way, several times per day.
36. Write three thank you letters to people who have made an impact upon your life. 
37. Spend time talking to God out loud: Adoring Him, asking for Forgiveness, thanking Him and asking Him for the things you and our world need.
38. Go to Mass on Holy Thursday, spend time in adoration that evening as well. 
39. On Good Friday, go to the Passion Service and open up some time as media-free time of silence and prayer.
40. Go to the Easter Vigil. If you can’t, read the seven readings that are part of the Vigil and reflect upon them.