The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-02-27
THAT LENTEN HEADACHE.


time of Lent? What can | do to keep
it? | can't fast, you know; tried it |
last Ember Days, and got roaring !
headache. Yet it seems very odd to |
me for a Catholic to do no penance |
at all during the Church's penance-
time"
Fasting from food isn't the only |
way of doing penance," said FIR Car
son, with a twinkle in his eye. "You
might guess that it was if you watched
some of your fellow-parishioners, but
it is not. Did it ever occur to you, for
example, that ones soul can do u bit
Of fasting, too"
why, bodily fasting answered Fir.
Carson, lis curbing the body's appetite
for food. Now hasn't your soul her
appetites, too? And can't you mortify
them?"
How" answered the Convert, with
some eagerness. Tell me how"
You need only think of some of
the souls appetites," answered FIR.
Carson, land you'll readily catch what
] mean. There's the appetite we all
have for doing as we like, for instance.
Our way is the only way. If we can't
have it, we sulk and fret. Now, if we
were to say to our self-will, when it
wants its own way very badly: No!
You can't have it this time. You must
do some one else's will for change.
You must be accommodating, gentle,
obliging. You must yield and give up
your own Desires isn't that curbing
our souls appetite? Isn't that making
our self-will fast? And it won't give
you headache, either, do you Think"
"Whew! | believe Id rather fast
from food" said the Convert, with
deep conviction and sincerity.
no doubt you would. It's excellent
pcnance, be sure, to make your self
will fast Then there's that other ap-
petite of our soul, the desire of praise,
esteem, good name. You might make
that fast a7-bit, too, every now and
then. Do some good deed and care
fully avoid getting any credit for it
whatever. Or keep silence when some
one casts harmless slur upon you,
netting, but insignificant. Don't an
swer, don't defend yourself. There's
good penance in that"
Il should say there was!" agreed
the Convert, rapidly.
Then there's the tendency we all
of US have to grow fussy, and cross
and snappish-bad-tempered, in a
word. A good strong outburst would
relieve us. If we could only vent our
Impotence on somebody, or something,
we'd feel relieved. But that's wrong;
make your bad temper fast. Crush
down the ugly mood. Hold back the
angry word. There's penance for you,
isn't it,
Thank you, Father" said the Con-
vert softly. Il have enough ways al
ready to last me all through Lent
I'VE haven't nearly exhausted the
subject though" said FIR. Carson, his
eyes twinkling brighter than ever.
There's being obliging. What pen
ance that is at times! Some one at
home asks us to do them little serv-
ice. We straightway think of a good
excuse. Away with it! Say: Yes,
of course, | WILL with a bright face
and CHEEKY tone, and you have made
your selfshness fast to good purpose,
can tell you. No headache, either,
| think.
Then there's almsgiving; that's an
other way of doing penance. That's
making our greediness fast. You're
well-to-do, let us say, but not rich. Ii
YOU keep all you have, you have just
enough to be comfortably off. But in
comes some good cause, or some de-
serving fellow in hard luck, and asks
you for aid. Say: Why certainly!
Here! 1t means a little inConyeni-
ence for me, but it may be life or
death for you. Here's the money, and
welcomed Isn't there penance in
that?"
"Pcnance and common sense, too,
said the Convert. But how few of
us see it that way. l always thought
that | was excused from almSgiving,
because l have always needed all that
Ihad. Needed it for my comfort,
mean But your point is good. It's a
Christian way OF looking at things.
Mine was rather pagan way, I'm
afraid"
well, you see our life is full of
ways of doing penance,' went on FIR.
Carson. which don't hold q single
headache between them all. Even the
Morning Offering, which you make
every day, hope, the Convert nod
cd assent-"is true act of penance,
too, if only it is deep and sincere; be-
cause we naturally love to do things,
for our own Self-love, for our own in-
terests, our own good, our own com,
fort, our own pleasure, our own praise.
Now, if we honestly say: Mt for my
self today, but for the sweet Heart
of Jesus and say it honestly and
earnestly, and mean it all the day long
there's touch of penance, you see
even there
Thanks, a thousand thanks" said
the Convert, holding out his hand
You've opened my eyes. If | have
the nerve to do as | mean to do now
believe | shall perform some down
right good penance before the end
of this Lent. But | see it takes nerve
To fast, after all, is largely question
of meal-time. But this sort of pen,
ance will keep ones will-power in ac
ton pretty we'll through the whole
day
Don't think for moment, though