Yes, Lent is a time to deny ourselves something to make a sacrifice and remind us of the many blessings God provides. Lent is also an opportunity to intentionally develop new spiritual habits and identify and correct unhealthy habits that have crept in over time. Not just as a second chance to make a New Year’s resolution, but for a much greater purpose. Namely, to better live the two greatest Commandments; Love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
If you haven’t yet made your plan for Lent, I offer the following ten suggestions to help develop some new habits and to help address any unhealthy ones. Don’t try to do too many of them. Just choose one of them and then integrate it into your daily routine. Once you get comfortable with the first one, choose another one and focus on it.
Here you go…
1. Committing the Commandments to memory helps to live them. To commit them to memory, write them down several times, recite them in your head while brushing your teeth or while waiting at a stop light.
2. Develop the habit of conducting a daily examination of conscience by using the “Praying the Ten Commandments” prayer before going to bed each night.
3. As a friendly challenge with a friend, see who can identify the most number of times the Ten Commandments are mentioned in the daily readings during Lent. Send each other a text of the reference as you see them. Loser takes the winner for lunch.
4. A visual image of the Commandments is a great daily reminder to live them. Download one of the Ten Commandments images from our website and put it in a frame. Display the image at home, at work, in your car or on your phone.
5. Share the Ten Commandments with others by giving framed copies of the Commandments to family and friends.
6. Take a deep dive into the truth and wisdom of the Ten Commandments by using the God’s Recipe for a Wonderful Life video study of the Commandments.
7. Identify the one Commandment you struggle with the most. Write it down and put it where you will see it frequently. Read the sections in the Catholic Catechism (Paragraphs 2083 – 2257) that pertain to that Commandment and make a resolution to work on it. Tell a friend about it and ask him/her to hold you accountable.
8. Over the course of Lent, reflect on each Commandment. Why was each one so important to God? What was God trying to protect? Explain to someone how the Commandments call us into relationship?
9. Ask three friends if they can name all Ten Commandments in order. Then explain to them why you asked. Give them an image of the Commandments to help them memorize them.
10. Read some of the most significant passages in scripture that focus on the Commandments. (Exodus 20:1-17, Deut 5:6-21, Deut 6:6-9, Deut 30:15-20, Psalms 119, Mt 5:17-37, Mark 10:17-23, Mark 12:28-34, John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-11, 1 John 3:19-24,)
So, which of the ten tips is the Holy Spirit calling you to begin with? Write it down and post it where you will see it several times a day. Share it with a friend to and then update your friend, once or twice a week, with your progress.
I pray that this list helps you have a truly meaningful Lent which helps you grow in virtue and holiness and then launches you into the Easter season to experience Jesus’ authentic freedom and abundant joy.
Have a blessed Lent,
Ed Van Buskirk
Executive Director
IfULoveMe.org
To dive deeper in your knowledge of learning and living the 10 Commandments on a daily basis in order to experience true joy and freedom, visit our 10 Commandments Page that corresponds to each of the 10 Commandments.
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