The Catholic Examiner

Expressing your love is essential in any loving relationship.. People need to feel loved in order to believe it. No, not everyday can be Valentine's Day. However, with a little effort you can express it daily.  Use sticky notes and post loving messages where people will find it. Help with chores without being asked.  Keep the house clean. A clean house equals a happy spouse. If something goes wrong, both take responsibility. Don't ever let them feel alienated on a difficult situation.  Never put down their appearance especially weight. Instead offer activities that are healthy to do together. Hold hands and kiss often. Out of the blue, give a random special surprise. It doesn't need to be expensive. Just something that you know you will like. When you are angry, think about all the nice things that they do. It will help dissolve anger. Compliment three times as much as complaining.  Always try to spend time together each day. Don't let the busy life consume you. When...

Ember days are no longer an obligation, but it is a definite added option to Lent or Advent. Ember days are four separate sets of three days within the same week. These days are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Ember days, one must not eat between meals and only eat meat for one meal. If an ember day falls on a Friday, do not eat meat at all. Before Christianity came, Ember days were for pagan practices. It was abstaining and fasting for renewal. Catholic bishops tried not to take it over but have it adapted for  Catholicism . These days set apart for special prayer and fasting were considered especially suitable for the ordination of clergy. The Ember Days are known in Latin as the quattuor anni tempora (the "four seasons of the year"), or formerly as the jejunia quattuor temporum ("fasts of the four seasons"). The Ember Weeks—the weeks in which the Ember Days occur—are the weeks: between the third and fourth Sundays of Advent (although the Common Worship lection...

If Lent is 40 days, why do we not count  Sundays ? Are Sundays included in  Lent ? The answer is no Sundays are not included in Lent. Jesus's first disciples followed the Book of Genesis. Saturday was the day of rest when God created the world. People who are Jewish still have their Sabbath on Saturdays. Christians changed the day to  Sunday  because Jesus Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday. The original disciples called the apostles noted the Resurrection as a brand new period in life. So Sunday became the Christian Sabbath day so to speak. Each Sunday became a day to celebrate and rejoice that Jesus Christ rose and is the Son of God. Christians changed Saturday to Sunday for the day of rest. Penance of any kind or fasting would be forbidden. The 40 days of Lent represent when Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days before publicly starting His ministry. Sundays do not count because of no fasting or penance. Therefore, Lent had to be made into six full weeks pl...

Fasting and abstaining are all a major part of Lent. Sometimes rules change and it is difficult to remember the guidelines for not eating meat on Fridays. You can never go wrong if you remember not to eat meat each Friday and offer more prayers to God. In the United States, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared that "the age of fasting is from the completion of the eighteenth year to the beginning of the sixtieth." The USCCB also allows the substitution of some other form of penance for abstinence on all of the Fridays of the year, except for those Fridays in Lent. Thus, the rules for fasting and abstinence in the United States are: Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent. Every person between the age of 18 and 59 (your 59th birthday begins your 60th year) must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from m...

Today we begin the 40 days of Lent with  Ash Wednesday .   Ash Wednesday is when many Christians go to church and receive ashes. For Catholics, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but still encouraged to go. Receiving ashes reminds us that we are all one. Catholics should not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. It's a time of reflection and abstaining. When we abstain from things, we make more room for Jesus Christ. Catholics also give up something and/or do something good instead. Often you hear people give up sweets, soda and chocolate. It's also good to give up using curse words, anger, rudeness etc. Activities to do during Lent are pray, attend Mass, be nicer, forgive someone you have had a grudge for awhile etc. Collecting money for a cause or people who have less is excellent way to spend Lent. Jesus teaches us to love each other. There is no better time then now to love each other.

Lent has officially begun.  Lent  is the 40 day period before Easter Sunday where Christians reflect and make some changes to be closer to Jesus. Catholics and some Christian religions give up something or add something to go further in their spiritual journey. If you haven't given up something yet and not quite sure what you want to do, here are some alternative ideas. Pick a charity that really appeals to you. Focus on helping them as much as possible by spreading the word about them, raising money, giving money or any other way you can help. Start at home. Be more positive and loving with your spouse and children even when you aren't feeling up to it. Go to church. Even if you've been away from a church for weeks or years, it's never too late to return. Put down the technology and be with those right in front of you. Go out with relatives, reconnect with friends, go make new friends. Purge your closets for clothes for the homeless. Better yet, go buy new children...