Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Lent!

I am writing right now between Evening Prayer and my second Mass of the day for Ash Wednesday. And of course people are talking about 'giving things up for Lent'.

There are different things we can give up for Lent; those we should give up anyway (that which is not good for us, or is sinful), those which we can give up which can be bad for us if not practiced in moderation, and those things which are not objectively good nor bad, but we give up as an offering of thanksgiving, and a reminder that we are not slaves to our impulses and desires.

Smoking would be an example of the first case, sweets in the second, and perhaps meat or a certainly thing you like like television.

An orthodox priest and I were having a discussion about the stricter Eastern Orthodox fast for Lent. I asked him if he expected his 7 year old son to keep this strict discipline. His response was that if he couldn't resist the temptation for a cheeseburger in Lent when he is 7, how will he learn the discipline to say no to sinful things when he is 16 or 19?

Doing Beachbody programs imply a measure of discipline. Following a meal plan, exercising 6 days a week, etc. are a discipline. But as you may know, or have seen from the increasing number of videos on YouTube about P90X, Insanity, etc., - discipline yields results.

So if you haven't started, or fallen off the track, Lent is a great time to restart your discipline! Give something up (food, tv, etc.) and take on something good (exercise, Shakeology, etc.). The physical results will show for themself! And the spiritual aspect of a disciplined life is a nice bonus as well!