Rules for Lent.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 8, 20 February 1902, Page 18

Rules for Lent.

Our various dioceean ' Regulations for Lent' have found a somewhat tentative and hesitating counterpart in a number of ' Rules for Lent' that have appeared in the Christchnrch papers under the sanction of the Church of England Temperance Society. The 'ilules' are prefaced by the following paragraph: ' The seaßon of Lent is specially Eet apart by the Church as n time for self-exami-nation, and for abstinence from wbat at other times are undoubtedly 0 lawful pleasures. '" The Scripture bids us fast; the Church Bays i ' Now.'" The devout Christian will follow our Blessed Lord through His fasting in the wilderness, and through His agony and Crucifixion, and will humbly try to copy the Divine Exemplar.' The following are the ' Rule?,' which mark, in many places, a distinct, though occasionally rather hesitant, approach to Catholic Lenten principles and practices : —' (1) To rise half an hour earlier every morning and give that time to some spiritual exercise. (2) Attend thelweek-day services as much as you can. (3) To be present at Holy Communion once each week. (4) To examine yourself regularly, and to write down the results of this examination each week. This will tend to strengthen your character. (5) To abstain from sovr.e article of food or drink, or some habit (e.g., smoking)) and to give the money saved to a benevolent object, say, C.E.T.S. (6) To keep Fridays as days of solemnity in memory of Christ's death, by keeping from places and occasions of amusement and festivity. (Tho^e who usually thus keep Fridays may so keep Wednesdays.) (7) To keep from all light reading ; read good biographies and Church history and literature.'