Keeping an Holy Lent - suggested disciplines and devotions

1. Fasting – The weekdays of Lent are

fast days, meaning that the amount of food

is reduced. A good (if modern) suggestion

is no snacks, no seconds, no desserts, and

no alcohol. If you don’t normally eat

snacks or drink, you may consider giving

up some favorite food. The idea is to

undertake something sacrificial, yet not

overwhelming. Ash Wednesday and

Good Friday are strict fast days: one full

meal in the evening, a very light one in the

afternoon, and for some, nothing before

3:00 PM. Those who are ill, elderly,

pregnant or nursing are excused from this

discipline. (Page li, 1928 B.C.P.)

2. Abstinence – Abstaining from flesh

meat on Fridays (as required by the Prayer

Book) is a common discipline for Lent.

An ancient custom is to abstain from flesh

meat on Wednesdays as well as Fridays.

Flesh meat includes all meat except fish.

Going vegetarian these days is also an

option. (Page li, 1928 B.C.P.)

3. Holy Communion – Lent is a good

time to add a weekday Service to your

usual Sunday attendance. Weekday

Services are about 30 minutes and are of a

rather more intimate and quiet nature than

those on Sunday. The Wednesday Service

also includes the Sacrament of Healing

(Holy Unction).

4. Daily Office – If you do not now

read Morning and/or Evening Prayer from

the Prayer Book, Lent is a good time to

begin doing so. It takes some effort and

discipline to get the habit established, but

once accomplished, it can bear great fruit

in your spiritual life. Each Office takes

15–20 minutes a day. Ask the Clergy if

you need help in how to do it.

5. Spiritual Reading – An ancient

custom is to take a spiritual book for

regular reading during Lent. This can be a

book on the Scriptures, or one of the

spiritual classics. Many are available in

the parish library, and the clergy would be

happy to make suggestions as well.

6. Confession – A sacramental

confession, in private to a priest, is not

only an opportunity for a thorough self examination, 

but also a powerful weapon

against the temptations which come our

way in Lent. The Parish Clergy are

available for this sacrament, as are other

priests in the area. Although the Anglican

Communion does not require Sacramental

Confession, it is permitted, and helpful.

More individuals should take advantage of

this sacrament.

7. Self-Denial – You may want to give

up some special pleasure or recreation for

Lent (smoking, sweets, television), and

perhaps give what you would have spent

on it to charity. This can be done in

conjunction with other practices: if, for

example, you give up an hour of TV every

day, you might use it to read Evening

Prayer and some Scripture.

8. Service – As well as “giving up”

something in Lent, some wish to “take on”

some special service, such as visiting a

shut-in parishioner, volunteering at a

hospital or nursing home, running errands

for an elderly neighbor, or some special

project at the church or in the community.

9. Scripture Reading – Delving into

the Word of God is never out of season.

Lent is a good time to establish (or reestablish) the discipline of a daily time of

Scripture reading at home. Using the

lectionary (the appointed readings) for the

daily office is a good starting point.

10. Educational Opportunities –

Take the opportunity in Lent to join the

 Adult Ed. Classes – Anglican Theology.

11. Corporate Special Devotions –

There are numerous opportunities for your

spiritual growth throughout Lent. In

addition to Communion and Daily Offices,

on Thursdays we have Adoration and

Benediction, and on Fridays at noon the

parish will gather at the church for

Stations of the Cross following Mass.

12. Evangelism – Lent is a good time

to renew one’s commitment to sharing the

good news of Jesus Christ with friends and

neighbors, and to invite them to worship

with us here at St. John’s.

Brochure originally written by the late Ann Marie Shuster,

and revised by Fr. Steven J. Kelly