As you prepare for Lent this year, use this opportunity to do more than give something up for 40 days. Use this time to change your life. Become a faithful and virtuous person with daily practices you can adapt to everyday life.

Overconsumption of media has gotten in the way of our own self reflection and the incredible impact of silence. If you haven’t yet decided what you’re doing for lent this year, apart from the Church’s prescribed fasting and abstinence, I suggest the Black and White Challenge.

Make your phone screen black and white
Go to the settings on your phone and make your phone screen black and white for the duration of Lent (Google it!).

Here’s the object of the challenge:
Detach from the constant itching of your hand to pickup your phone, instant communication, mindlessly flipping through your apps, or anxiously checking notifications and emails.<!--more-->

Silence allows for self reflection, spontaneous prayer, and gives you room to be rather than constantly do something on your phone.

Self-control from intentionally not using the phone helps you to stay focussed, responsible, and prayerful rather than constantly distracted by notifications. (If you haven’t already turn those notifications off unless absolutely necessary).

Savor the things around you, even the stillness. Constant distraction prevents the savoring of moments throughout the day whether it be simple interactions or major achievements. This allows you to appreciate and reflect on time spent with a loved one, a conversation, the scenery from the outdoors, or the day’s Bible readings.

Make this Lent a time of change and renewal, not just 40 days of different behavior. Take Lent seriously this year. Intentionally plan to be prayerfully successful in order to build virtue, a prayer life, and yes a life of fasting that goes beyond the Tridium.

My prayers are with you this Lent as we prepare for the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ our redeemer. I will be posting brief tid bits of encouragement on my Instagram live story throughout Lent.

Let me know you’re doing the Black & White Challenge and invite others to join you!

Other Lenten Practices I Recommend

1. Weekly Stations of the Cross at your parish
2. Daily Mass as often as you can
3. Nightly examination of conscience
4. Set morning and evening prayer
5. Start doing something you love again, even if only a couple times a week

Prayer Aids/Recommendations
Manual of Prayers
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
Magnificat 

Bible Basics for Catholics

**Of course, the phone being a tool for life, there may be periods of time where you need to revert to color on your phone for a few minutes.