5 Mother Angelica tips for your Lent sacrifices

At the beginning of Lent’s time, Catholics around the world begin a path of prayer, alms and penance in preparation for Holy Week. There are many and varied mortifications that the faithful decide to adopt these days but, what Lenten sacrifices are more benefit for our souls?

Mother Angelica, founder of Ewtn, explained that on Ash Wednesday – with which Lent begins – it is an invitation that the Church makes us to consider the end of our life and guide our walk towards the ultimate realities.

“You’re going to leave. We don’t like to think about it, but you’re going to go. One day, the person inside the coffin will become a cluster of bones and ashes, ”said the religious in a program broadcast by EWTN in 2000.

Mother Angelica, a pioneer in the world of Catholic communications, shared several tips over the years so that the quarters truly help us to grow in our life of faith and prepare ourselves in the best way to accompany the Lord in his passion, death and resurrection:

1. Offer things that last over time

The Angelica mother pointed out that the quarters must be those that are worth sustaining in the future. “I need to give up something that I know is wrong in me,” he explained in the same program of the year 2000.

Instead of “leaving sweets,” he continued, he has more value to renounce those defects that have a negative impact on us and the people around us.

“Why don’t you offer your bad temper? That is what I am going to do during Lent: I want to give up my temperament … and then perhaps these 40 days make you acquire a habit of not losing your stirrups, a habit of being kind, a habit of being kind. And start with your family, ”added the founder of Ewtn.

2. Offer each sacrifice with joy

Lent is a very special time in which the Church offers us the possibility of receiving thank you very much. In another program, transmitted in 1999Mother Angelica said that we must live with joy our sacrifices because we offer them to please Jesus more.

“Be sure to be happy. I prefer that you eat three eggs and be cheerful, that you don’t eat any and be a grumpy. Some people get very cascarrabias when they are hungry. They are unbearable! Go to eat something because nobody can live with you, ”joked Mother Angelica.

3. Remember that we offer mortifications because we are sinners

The Angelica mother explained in his March 7 program, 2000that the sacrifices and purposes of Lent, in addition to helping us imitate Jesus, must have the objective of training us to strengthen the will. When we sin, he commented, many times we do it by mistake, but many others do it for the inability to deny ourselves.

“There is a double advantage in doing penance. Royal penance, not to give up sweets, for the love of God. You are hard if that’s all you can leave. If you give up something that costs you here (pointing your heart), for the end of Lent you will be stronger, your will will be stronger to refuse more important things, ”he said.

“The point of Lent is not to leave sweets, treats or cigarettes … A moment will arrive in your life where you have to say ‘No’ To something very difficult, when to say it would be very easy, ”added Mother Angelica.

In addition, the founder of EWTN said that “Lent is not about penance 40 days, but a reminder that there is much in me that has not changed an apex.”

4. Mortifications are internal acts

In another program, This time from 1994Mother Angelica commented that the quarters are to do with the interior of the person, with the movements of her soul, “and not to eat or what to drink.”

“You have your whole being during this Lent. Just say: ‘Lord, I have done many terrible things in my life. I will confess this Lent and live a completely new life ‘. Wouldn’t it be great? That is not difficult to do, ”he said.

“There are so many things that you can do that they will improve your spiritual life just by being friendly and compassionate,” added Mother Angelica.

5. Propy to deepen faith during Lent

Already in 1994, the Mother Angelica said that the world was going through “a terrible time,” in which it became increasingly indispensable to cease to be “gullible” before the currents and sects that seek “corrupt the mind and heart”, and instead establishing themselves in prayer and sacramental.

For the founder of Ewtn, one of the best purposes that Catholics can consider during Lent is to approach the confession and the Eucharist, in addition to resuming devotion to the rosary and the sacramental, such as the blessed water, in our day to day.

“We need to pray. Go and eat a sweet box, for the love of God. Why do we always think it is our stomach that is wrong? It is our soul that is wrong, forget your stomach! ”the religious repeated.

“Do really beautiful and pious things for Lent. In no other time we have needed so much prayer and penance. Praying is a penance for many of you, it is also to leave your life as a sin. It is a penance to act as a Catholic. Defend your faith! That is a good penance, ”said Mother Angelica.