Lenten Sacrifice

As Catholics, we are called to prayer, penance and alms giving during the season of Lent. As a family, we have chosen to give up pop, as a sacrifice of one of our luxuries. We will donate the dollar amount we would have spent on pop to a charity designated to bring food to under-privileged children sponsored by our local youth.

The length of the sacrifice came up in discussion at the dinner table. Our oldest son was told he only needed to abstain from pop Monday through Saturday, and Sundays are free days. Technically speaking, he is correct. The season of Lent will have 40 days, not counting Sundays.

Personally, I don't feel I can get the true feeling of the 40 days of sacrifice if I am only "on" sacrifice for six days and then off for a day, "on" for six, "off" for one. Six days is much more manageable than forty days.

His argument is it is more difficult to repeatedly give up something. You are constantly starting over on your sacrifice rather getting used to the sacrifice and it becoming less of a sacrifice.

I think that boy is going to grow up to be a lawyer.