In high school, I had a theology teacher, who always encouraged us not to give something up as a Lenten sacrifice. Kind of weird, right? But instead, he would ask us to think about our community and our role in it and to try and do something to help others instead of “suffering.” So instead of giving up Diet Coke or Late Night, try some of these things to improve yourself and the quality of life of others!
- Work at a Soup Kitchen
There are a ton of homeless shelters and soup kitchens in the Boston area that can always need help. So instead of sacrificing fro-yo at dinner, you could spend a few hours at Haley House or Rosie’s Place to benefit some of the people suffering in our community.
- Do a cleanse
Lent is a great time to cleanse yourself of some toxins and to start fresh. There are plenty of healthy ones too, so you won’t be starving yourself or damaging your body by rebooting your metabolism and immune system. You could even think of a cleanse as being a religious ritual. (Jesus did spend 40 days in the desert after all.) Oprah recommends Dr. Oz’s: http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-on-Cleansing-Do-You-Need-a-Cleanse/1
- Make a Donation
There are so many places around the world that don’t have Facebook or Twitter, let alone bread and water to give up for Lent. Consider donating to a charity online like Bread for the World or Doctors Without Borders to help out on a global level.
- Write to Soldiers Overseas
Our military forces are sacrificing so much so that we don’t have to suffer. This Lenten season, try writing to someone serving our country to let them know how much you appreciate everything that they have done to keep us safe. AnySoldier.com is a great way to look into sending things overseas and what they would appreciate receiving.
- Smile at a Stranger
It’s not creepy, I swear. With positive energy being released into our community, the world seems to be less bad, and it’s a great way to remind others, there’s no reason to be grumpy or negative. So next time you walk down Comm Ave, instead of looking at your phone, flash those pearly whites at the next passer-by.
There are a lot of great things you can do around BC and in Boston to renew yourself during this season. So, try out one of these instead of wishing you could have some cookies, and make two people feel better instead of none!
Photo Sources
http://www.verbalkwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/c-of-e-lent.jpg
http://files.dosomething.org/files/styles/blog_landscape/public/pictures/78317565%20(1).jpg
http://cdn.prevention.com/pvnstatic-assets/images/2011/1011/dr-oz-01-1011-298×232.jpg
http://www.clker.com/cliparts/b/4/4/e/1220546127813249574pedu_Smile.svg.hi.png