Improving Lent, Part 2

Back in 2005, I posted 40 Ways to Improve Your Lenten Experience from Karen Marie Knapp’s blog at From the Anchor Hold. She posted it on February 26, 2006 from the Catholic Herald. I’m dividing it into parts with some updates, tweaks, links, and suggestions.

Part 1 is here

  

“Father Into Your Hands” by Christopher Brown via Flickr, licensed via creative commons. 

 This content uses referral links. Read our disclosure policy for more info. This means if you make a purchase, I get a little change to keep up my Diet Coke habit. It’s a win/win. 

15. Keep a dish of ashes in a prominent place as a constant reminder of the season. 


16.  If the idea of keeping ashes around is impractical, try this sand art project instead!

The beige or brown sand represents the desert. Yellow for the transfiguration and light of revelation, blue for baptism and healing waters of life, green for healing and forgiveness, purple for Christ’s kingship, red for Christ’s passion, and white for the lamb of God.  Each bottle turned out a little bit different as the children filled them.

 Those bottles held up pretty well over the years.

 I bought an acrylic container and we filled it with sand and then hot glued it shut.

A pretty design for us to have in our Domestic Church table this Lenten season!

17. Do a thorough Examination of the Conscience


Here is a good examination of conscience for mothers.

One from Father Pat
Examination of Conscience from the late great Father Hardon.

Father Alberione’s examination of conscience.

Some for children by Catholic Parents.

18.  Get to Confession. 

How to Make a Good Confession

19. Test your knowledge of Scripture. 
Bible quiz
The Bible quiz
Catholic Bible Quiz
Quiz on the New American Bible.


20. Open a Christmas Club account with the intention of giving the money to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

21. Reserve a button on your car stereo for the Relevant Radio station in your area. 

22. Pray the news– for the people whose stories of hardship are reported daily and weekly.

23.  Read an entry from a Catholic Encyclopedia or Catholic almanac.

24.  Attend mass at a parish other than your own.

25.  Tithe your tax return

26.  If Catholic schools get NCAA tournament bids, learn for whom those schools were named.

27.  Observe five minutes of silence every day.