Katolinen.net
  • Suomeksi
    • Uutta >
      • Hiippakuntalehti Fides
      • Arkistojen aarteita
      • Facebook
    • Marjatalta-blogi >
      • Ruusukko
      • Neitsyt Marian hyveet
      • Adventin O-antifonit
      • Ristintie
      • Helluntain novena
    • Kysy katolilaiselta
    • Katolista hapatusta -blogi (linkki)
    • Päivän Birgitta (linkki)
    • Sakramentit >
      • Kaste
      • Parannuksen sakramentti >
        • Pyhän ristin rippisivut
      • Eukaristian sakramentti
      • Ithaka-aatoksia
      • Vahvistus
      • Sairaiden voitelu
      • Avioliitto
      • Vihkimys
    • Seurakunnat >
      • Uutisia seurakunnista
      • Henrik
      • Maria >
        • Tuhkakeskiviikko 2015
      • Birgitta >
        • Seurakuntalehti Birgitta
      • Risti
      • Olavi >
        • Vihkimiseen valmistautuminen
      • Joosef >
        • Kirkon vihkiminen
        • Video Kuopiosta
      • Ursula
      • Perhe
    • Toimintaa >
      • Academicum Catholicum
      • Birgittalaissisarten ystävät >
        • Kirjatilaus
      • Birgittalaisten maallikko-oblaatit
      • Caritas
      • Ithaka-ryhmä >
        • Keitä me olemme?
      • Rukouksen apostolaatti
      • Studium Catholicum
      • Teresat
      • Welcoming Team
    • Kalenteri >
      • Martyrologium
    • Fides-lehden hakemisto >
      • Arkistojen aarteita
    • Linkkejä >
      • Katekismus
    • Kysely
  • På Svenska
    • Aktuellt >
      • Stiftsbladet Fides
      • Ithaka-tankar
      • Facebook
      • Katolska nyheter >
        • Hattula 2014
        • Stiftsfesten 2014
        • Stiftsfesten 2015
        • Påvar helgonförklarade >
          • Helgonförklaringsmässan
          • Helgonförklaringsmässan (eng)
        • S:t Josefs församling blir till
        • Heliga Teresa av Calcutta
        • Relikvallfärden från Lisieux i Finland 2018
        • Prästvigningen av fader Eze Charles Nwoko
    • I min Faders hus
    • Hjälp till
    • Sakramenten >
      • Dop
      • Bikt
      • Nattvard
      • Bekräftelse
      • Sjukas smörjelse
      • Äktenskap
      • Prästvigning
    • Församlingarna >
      • Nyheter från församlingarna
      • S.t Henrik
      • S:ta Maria >
        • Askonsdag 2015
      • S:ta Birgitta
      • Heliga Korset
      • S:t Olav >
        • Förberedelser för S:t Josef
      • S:t Josef >
        • Kyrkinvigning
        • Video från Kuopio
      • Heliga Ursula
      • Heliga Familjen
    • Verksamheter >
      • Academicum Catholicum
      • Böneapostolatet
      • Caritas
      • Ithaka-gruppen >
        • Vem är vi?
      • Welcoming Team
      • Studium Catholicum
      • Bokbeställning
    • Kalender >
      • Dagens läsningar
    • Register över Fides-artiklar >
      • Arkivpärlor
    • Länkar
    • Enkät
  • In English
    • Katolinen.net News >
      • Diocesan Magazine Fides
      • Facebook
    • 5 & 2 Blog
    • Parishes >
      • News from Parishes in Finland
      • St Henry's
      • St Mary's >
        • Ash Wednesday 2015
      • St Bridget's
      • Holy Cross
      • St Olav's >
        • Preparing for St Joseph's
      • St Joseph's >
        • Consecration of St Joseph
        • Video link
      • St Ursula's
      • Holy Family
    • Organisations & Groups >
      • Apostleship of Prayer
      • Caritas
      • Ithaca Team >
        • Who are we?
      • Studium Catholicum
      • Welcoming Team
    • Fides Index
    • Survey
    • Where can I go to Mass in Finland (link)
    • Links
  • Fides
    • Fides pdf
  • African Chaplaincy

The Freedom of Lent

27/2/2017

0 Comments

 
This is my second Lent as a Catholic, at the beginning of my conversion, I don't really understand why Catholics are “looking for” sufferings. But in the past few days, I have just come to realise a new meaning of Lent.​

The True Meaning of Freedom

When I was under 16, I was really keen to turn 18 and be an adult. I thought of adulthood as total freedom: You can drink, drive and travel as far as you want.

However, I was disappointed pretty much as soon as my 18th birthday was over. Nothing special was happening. Except that there were more and more responsibilities. And what was worse: I moved away from home for my college studies!
​
Picture
Ash Wednesday Mass at St Mary's, Helsinki.
Until I had a conversation with a priest about the meaning of freedom during my process of conversion, I didn't understand what it meant. Today what I understand is this: Freedom is not for you to do whatever you what, but for you not to do whatever you don’t want to do. Basically, you have the freedom to say NO when your body or environment are encouraging you to say YES. And that is a good rule, because as we say in Spanish, Hacer el Bien nos libera pero el mal nos condena, or "Doing what is Good sets us free us, but doing evil condemns us."
I have a friend who often fasts. When he fasts, he says No to sugar and chocolate. He does that because those are his favourites. Before, I didn't understand. I just couldn't get it. Every time I made some delicious dessert, he would just say: "I’m fasting, thanks." You offer candies to a boy, and he says "Thanks, but no thanks."?! I found that so strange!

But now I see that that's the point of Lent. We say No. We deny ourselves. I'll say NO to something I like in this world. Instead, I will search for Spiritual Food and get closer to God and the that which is truly GOOD.

Preparing for Lent

Picture
Link to the calendar on Catholic-Link's FB page
This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday reminds me that we are not of this world, as life here goes from ashes to ashes. So just start renouncing all that we worry about, and God will help us to carry on. His yoke is easy to carry and his burden is light, while this world can’t give us the Peace that He gives.
Lent goes on for 40 days. And for me the worst day of the year is Good Friday, when Jesus died for us. Here's a calendar pic from Catholic-link to make Lent easier to keep track of.

By preparing one in spirit during Lent can help us better to understand our divine Lover, how he died for us and how he loves us.

What to do?

In my case, this is how I see my Lent: make an offering, say No to what I usually do and essentially pray, pray, pray for transformation and a refreshing of my heart. Sometimes, we are not inclined to say no, but by His Power, we will be!
Here are some further ideas that I can share with you: you might want to forget chocolate for all of Lent, not use Instagram or not eat any bread during Lent. I will also try to assist at Mass as much as possible, pray the Stations of the Cross, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the 15 prayers of Saint Bridget (it helps me to contemplate the Passion).

The Sacraments help us to grow in faith and it's also good to ask a spiritual guide or priests for help. I think having a prayer plan is the best.

More resources

If you would like more ideas, I recommend the following links:
  • About Fasting and Abstinence
  • Catholic-Link's Lent guide (APPs and books)
  • Creative ideas for Lent
Now, it’s your turn, I hope your faith can grow as much as possible during this Lent. If you want, you can also write down your ideas and share them with us!

About the author

Picture
Yiran, or Maria Micaela. Born in China as a Protestant Christian but baptised in Spain (2015), being the only Catholic in the family. I came to Turku as an Erasmus exchange student and I stayed for my MSc studies. I'm also a participant of the Youth Weekends at Stella Maris. 
​
Cooking, running and photography are my hobbies.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    5&2

    Picture
    A mosaic in the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish in the Holy Land.
    This is a blog about being young and Catholic in Finland.

    Bloggers

    Yiran Chen

    Yiran, or Maria Micaela. Born in China but baptised in Spain (2015), student in Turku. Participant of the Youth Weekends at Stella Maris. Cooking, running and photography are my hobbies.
    Blog posts by Yiran

    Archives

    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016

    Categories

    All
    5&2
    Aayush
    Adulthood
    Advent
    Alejandro
    Alpo
    Andreas
    Anna
    Anna Kristiina
    Anna Kristiina El-Khoury
    Birmingham
    Bishop Teemu Sippo SCJ
    Bosnia And Herzegovina
    Bucksrucker
    Business
    Canada
    Chistmas
    Christus Vivit
    Cross
    Differences
    Divine Mercy
    Easter
    Ecumenism
    El-Khoury
    Family
    Finland
    Forgiveness
    Freedom
    Get-together
    Good Shepherd
    Helsinki
    Holy Spirit
    Judgement
    Keeping Busy
    Languages
    Latvia
    Lent
    London
    Margeritta
    Margeritta El-Khoury
    Mari
    Marriage
    Medjugorje
    Memories
    Nordic Youth Meeting
    One Body In Christ
    Oxford
    Panama 2019
    Parish Life
    Passion
    Peace
    Pentecost
    Pilgrimage
    Pilgrimage Of Trust
    Priesthood
    Projects
    Pro-life
    Riga
    Romance
    Rome
    Rosary
    Running
    Saints
    Sisters
    Siyan
    Spain
    St Augustine
    St Bridget's
    Stella Maris
    St Henry
    St John Henry Newman
    St Joseph
    St Mary's
    St Michael
    Sweden
    Taizé
    Tea
    Teemu Sippo SCJ
    Turku Youth Group
    Vadstena
    Vocation
    World Youth Day
    World Youth Festival
    Wyd
    Yiran
    Youth Group Helsinki
    Youth Group St Mary's
    Youth Group Turku

    RSS Feed

Picture
Katolinen.net
Suomen katolilaisia yhdistävä verkkosivusto
Webbplatsen som förenar katolikerna i FInland
A website that unites Finland's Catholics
Picture