Bucket List

Photo by oldsouth.org

We are entering the final week of Lent. Today is Palm Sunday (where Jesus entered Jerusalem and was welcomed by the Jews with palm branches) and it marks the beginning of Holy Week. A week where we commemorate our salvation through Christ's passion, death and His glorious resurrection.

I know some people gave up something for Lent. I bet they are almost rejoicing and saying, "yay! one more week and I'm finally done with my lenten sacrifice!" I can now eat chocolates, rice, meat, and be back on facebook again or back to candy crushing! hahaha. My husband excruciatingly gave up video gaming for 40 days and I'm so proud of him. One more week guys. Let's hang in there!

As for me, this year I decided not to give up anything for Lent. However, I've been religiously exercising additional work in increasing my faith to better my relationship with God. I vowed this time to go to daily mass and to recite the rosary daily as well. Also, to be soaked in scriptures and with spiritual books.

For this final and very important week of Lent, aside from what I have been already doing, I plan to add more on my "bucket list, Holy week edition!" hehe

Bucket List:

- Confession: check

- Fasting: debating between these three kinds; eating a single full meal a day, intake of only bread and water a day at dinner time and juice fasting. I read from Bo Sanchez' blog,

"You will experience a spiritual revival. When you fast, you’re telling God that He’s more important than food. So instead of eating, you spend it in prayer, reading Scripture, writing your journal, before the Blessed Sacrament, reading spiritual books... It declares that you’re dead serious about pursuing Him because you’re crazy enough to say No to something as basic as food. If you can say No to a very basic need, what else can you not do for the Lord?

- Attend all important masses this week including the Lord's Last Supper, Liturgy of Good Friday and Easter mass.

- Visita Iglesia: Our family has developed this tradition to visit 7 churches in our area over the years.

- Acts of charity: Faith without action, is dead!

- and in order to do all of this mentioned above, I have to sacrifice the things that will hinder me from my ultimate purpose of developing a deeper relationship with Christ, and it is to keep myself away from distractions. One of these is social media.

I would like to inform you that I will be MIA (missing in action) for a week from FB and Instagram and will see you on Easter Sunday! If you want to keep in touch with me, I can be reached by text or email. In me and my husband's case, viber will do! hehe

Disclaimer: My blog is not screaming "I am a good Christian, I should be praised!" Please, NO! This decision has been overly prayed and discerned for because of my love for Jesus! Everything is for His honor and glory! And I decide to share it with you my brothers and sisters as an encouragement and to tell you that you're not alone. I am with you in this journey and it is cool! It's cool especially when we do all of these out of love for Christ and not out of tradition or obligation. If you have not been practicing these things because you just simply don't know it, now is the time to do it. It's not as big of a deal compared to Christ's sacrifice and death on the cross in saving us from all of our sins.

"Who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." -1 Peter 1:5-9

May you all have a blessed and great Holy Week!

xoxo,

Joselle