Student adds daily prayer for Lent

    Each week The News will feature another students’ Lenten Resolution.

    Andrew Perkins, senior from Symsonia, Ky., is not Catholic, but he is participating in Lent for the first time this year. Perkins said he decided to participate in the season of abstinence and denial.
    Perkins said instead of the traditional practice of giving something up he chose to add something to his daily routine.
    “I decided as a starter, I would get up earlier, at least 30 minutes earlier every morning, and start my day off with prayer,” Perkins said.
    Perkins said he sees direct benefits to the practices of Lent.
    “It is a way to strengthen your relationship with God,” Perkins said. “It’s all about praying and fasting, the act of giving something up, or adding something, is a challenge to yourself. You can grow as a person, and as you grow as a person you can grow in your relationship with God.”
    Perkins said although it is not too difficult to wake up early, his choice to add something to his routine was more of a challenge for him.
    “I didn’t really want to subtract anything, because I think that’s easy,” Perkins said. “I’ve given up Coke for a month, I’ve given up beer for a month, that’s easy. Adding something is harder to do, especially since we’re all very busy.”
    In addition to his new morning mission, Perkins has followed with tradition in deciding to abstain from meat on Fridays, something he finds challenging.
    “That is very different,” Perkins said. “Well, I mean, having never done that before, it’s something I have to consciously think about. I’ve been getting very used to fish. If I’m going to participate, I’m going to participate the right way.”
    Perkins sees his morning addition as something he will continue doing after Lent.         “It would be a good goal to talk to God every day,” Perkins said. “Really that’s a good goal for anybody; it shouldn’t just be something to do for lent. This is like a jump start. If I can make that a part of my day, I think that will help me in many ways.”
    Perkins said Lent it is a learning experience.
    “There’s no need to pick 40 days out of any point in time to give up something or decide you want to strengthen your relationship with God,” Perkins said.
    Bec Feldhuas can
be reached at
rebecca.feldhaus@
murraystate.edu.

1 comments

Larry

Thu Mar 12 2009 14:53

Why don't you pray us out of this goddamn recession?

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