What are you giving up for Lent?

I haven't decided on my lent yet. It's either going to be Coca-Cola or red meat.

I'm Catholic....haven't been to church in years....but I still have the same beliefs. I haven't decided what I want to give up for lent. Mainly because I'm not really addicted to or craving anything right now. I'd like to make it some what challenging.

Shoes. I'm giving up shoes.

Gillian

Nothing at all, in fact I'm gonna try to get more sleep, and try to go out more on my spare time if that makes sense.

i am giving up religion for Lent.

I'd be with Muse if I hadn't already pretty much given up on all religion.

I'd like to give up Lent for Lent. And I think everyone should give up that stupid Mel Gibson movie. I heard it's all violence and blood and totally Hollywood.

Lent means nothing to me except that I've been warned at work that my tips will go down for the duration. I don't believe it yet because I can't imagine any of those people being religious. But if it's true it's just one more reason Lent is annoying. That's really crass but face it I don't volunteer my time there. I've got stuff to pay off.

I remember in Jr. High, I tried to give up homework for lent :D

Call me naieve but what is giving somehting up or lent all about?

You're not naive, Meena.

Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent begins on 25 February 2004 and ends on 10 April 2004.
In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 8 April (Holy Thursday), with the beginning of the mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Colors:
In most churches, the decorations are purple or blue, royal colors to prepare for the King. You can read more about color in worship
The East:
In Orthodox churches, this season is called the Great Lent. It begins on Clean Monday.
Special Days:
Ash Wednesday, 25 February 2004
The Annunciation, 25 March 2004

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Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. Lent has been observed in the church since apostolic times. (If your church does not observe Lent, you can find out why.)

You can read about fasting, which is a spiritual discipline that does not involve starvation or dehydration. You can also read Honest to God for an explanation of what we accomplish by observing Lent.

You can find out about Lenten fasting during medieval times. The link even includes a very interesting recipe!

The Western Church
Because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, we skip over Sundays when we calculate the length of Lent. Therefore, in the Western Church, Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter.

In many countries, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast by abstaining from meat during Lent, which is why some people call the festival Carnival, which is Latin for farewell to meat.

The Eastern Church
The Eastern Church does not skip over Sundays when calculating the length of the Great Lent. Therefore, the Great Lent always begins on Clean Monday, the seventh Monday before Easter, and ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday—using of course the eastern date for Easter. The Lenten fast is relaxed on the weekends in honor of the Sabbath (Saturday) and the Resurrection (Sunday). The Great Lent is followed by Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, which are feast days, then the Lenten fast resumes on Monday of Holy Week. Technically, in the Eastern Church, Holy Week is a separate season from the Great Lent.

Special Days
The purpose of the liturgical calendar is to relive the major events in Jesus’ life in real time, which is why Lent is forty days long. If Jesus were born on 25 December, then His conception would have been nine months earlier, on about 25 March. That is when the angel Gabriel would have announced Jesus’ birth to Mary. Thus 25 March is known in the historic church as The Annunciation.

Roughly speaking, the western Church consists of Protestants, Catholics, and Anglicans. The eastern Church consists of the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Oriental Orthodox churches, and the eastern-rite churches affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.







Credit: Rev. Ken Collins (www.kencollins.com)

Thank-you Chosen1, now i understand it alot better :D

I'm giving up Lent for Lent.

Oh, wait - I did that last year. And the year before. And...

Never been into the whole Lent thing.

Originally posted by Rhadamanthus
I'm giving up Lent for Lent.

Oh, wait - I did that last year. And the year before. And...

Never been into the whole Lent thing.

I can go one step better, Rhad.

I'm giving up New Year's Resolutions for Lent.
I'll probably give up Lent for next year's New Year's Resolution.:D