Saturday, March 20, 2010

Lenten stuff

Living in Season suggests spending a time "listening" during lent.
and links to a site that instructs you via newsletter on "lectio divina", an ancient Benedictine way to contemplate deeply on what you just read.


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ArtEspirit blog has a different approach: a diary where you sketch every day.
"Here's what Chronicle has to say: Visual journaling is ...the practice of daily sketching allows budding artists to capture impressions that might otherwise pass them by, to see the evolution and rhythm of their thoughts and inspiration.
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AveMariaBlog has a list by Pope John (aka the "Happy pope)on how to live one day at a time:

1) Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2) Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to dis­cipline anyone except myself.

3) Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4) Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5) Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6) Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7) Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelingsClre hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

8.) Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make. it And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9) Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particu­lar, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

BLESSED JOHN XXIII

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Me, I'm not "spiritual" (I'm lucky if I manage to get through my daily rosary without distractions).
But doing a good deed is as good as a prayer,
so I cleaned out the fishpond yesterday.
The algae is blooming, and I didn't want the fish to suffer, and the staff is busy getting ready for the harvest; instead of waiting for the staff to have time to do it, I did it and "offered it up" to the Lord...
Yes, Catholics have a fancy name for that practice too.

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