/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>826974

Last year I did the following:

>abstained from food altogether on Fridays and only one meal each other day

>gave up hot water for my showers – cold water only

>surrendered my bed – slept on the floor in my sleeping bag

>forwent any non-water drinks – no juice, tea, soda, alcohol, etc.

>refrained from seasoning any of my food with powders, sauces, or condiments

>prayed a set of mysteries of the Rosary each day

This year, I want to try giving up all food except for on Sundays and replace normal meals with Soylent. My family and friends are telling me not to do it. Regardless, I will still give up non-water drinks and food seasoning. I can't exactly sleep on the floor now because I've got a girlfriend who would throw a fit (co-habitation, I know). I think I can give up warm showers again, but it gets harder every year and I don't know if I'm strong enough. I don't have any vices to give up except for masturbation, which I'll try to stop… again… and again… as always. As far as alms, I'm in a better financial position than last year, so I've already started giving one dollar to the poor for each dollar I spend on myself.

I know what I should give up because it brings me great joy and Lent is about showing contrition through personal sacrifice. I like to play a mobile phone game (Marvel Strike Force) which requires daily log-ins and participation in my alliance. It's one of my luxury joys and I should sacrifice it, but the thought of getting behind by giving it up for so long is daunting, even though it is a useless game. That's the thing about sacrifice: all the stuff I do above is relatively easy, but if it's easy, is it really a sacrifice? The thing we choose to sacrifice should be the thing we most want to keep, otherwise, it's not meaningful…

Oh, and I know you didn't ask, OP, but smoking is something you should give up altogether anyway, not just as a Lenten sacrifice. Your body is your temple and Lent is when you give up things that you are not already morally obligated to deny yourself. Like, I wouldn't consider NoFap as something I can do for Lent because I'm really supposed to do that in general. Go ahead and give up smoking if you can – believe me, I know it's rough – but then consider choosing something that isn't bad for you or immoral – that you enjoy – and give that up, as well. Just a suggestion, not an admonishment.

>>826988

>(co-habitation, I know)

If you know, why are you still doing it?

>>826991

Because co-habitation is a gateway to temptation, but not temptation nor sin itself. Because the Bible doesn't mention it and the Church has issued no explicit condemnation of it. Because I think more good has come and will come of us being under the same roof than being apart.

I should clarify, though. We are co-habitating only in the sense that we sleep in the same bed sometimes. Usually on the weekends. We don't live in the same house. We live in two separate houses in two neighboring cities. She does, however, stay over on Fridays and Saturdays usually (I'm a school teacher and I don't allow her to stay over on school nights), and we go to Mass together on Sunday mornings. During school vacations such as Spring Break, she stays over more frequently. My house is midway between her house and her job.

I mean, I didn't have to justify all of that, and, yes, I'm a sinner. I do things I'm not supposed to do. We've engaged in extra-marital sexual activity, though we haven't (and will not) "go all the way." We all do things we know are wrong. It's called concupiscence. Paul did it, too:

>14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

>21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

>So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

I'm not saying that it makes my behavior acceptable, only that I take comfort in knowing that I'm not alone in the struggle.

>>826974

I wanna try a technology fast.

Giving up electronics, video games, music, and ill only use my phone for communication.

>>827013

We are anonymous. We're not here for accolades. We're here for fellowship. We aren't making ourselves out to be poor, suffering acolytes with a "woe is me, look at how humble I am," attitude. I think it's okay to talk about fasting.

>>827030

I've thought about getting a cheap, burner flip phone for this reason. I don't know if I'd have the will power to refrain from using my smart phone for nonsense if I had it with me throughout Lent.

>>827030

I've lived at a monastery for about a month. It was the most peaceful I've ever been, mostly because I was away from technology. If you can do it (I can't because of my job) absolutely do so, it's a great blessing.

>>827037

How does one go to live at a monastery? You just go and ask?

Getting confirmed in a month. Probably going to give up caffeine because I have it with almost everything.

>>826988

Hi anon, first off, according to my priest (a Jesuit), co habitation is okay in certain circumstances. I live in a huge city with one of the worst and most expensive rent rates in the USA. He said the last 5-6 couples he married were living together. Don't let these other anons shame you over it (I know it's in the catechism but remember the pope's teachings "life is bigger than rules"

>>826974

Smoking is a good one.

I think I'm going to give up video games, I've been binging on some elder scrolls classics and it's annoyed the crap outta my wife. I'm already dieting and abstaining from alcohol so that's the only thing that I think is distracting me from my Catholic Studies

>>826974

>Lent is in a few weeks, what are you going to give up?

My time. I will devote more of my time to the Church and caring for the poor and infirm.

>>827068

You must be Protestant. When I say, "the Church", I mean a people, not a building. A church is a building. The Church is its people.

>>826974

I'm just gonna fast the Orthodox fast as all Christains are supposed to.