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Showing posts with the label Lent

My Lenten Diary: week 4

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Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 30th of March 2021 I am feeling lonely again.  I am heart broken.  Today in Catechism class we were taught conspiracy theories that come out of the The Prothetical Of The Elders Of Zion, which is an anti-Semitic book and has nothing to do with the Catechism or the Catholic Church.  In class, these conspiracy theories were being taught as if they were true even though no evidence was presented.  I am horrified at the incident and i now feel that i can't trust the Church i go to.  Nevertheless, i continue fasting but i have stopped praying.  Instead, i am tempted to forget about Easter and go with Passover instead.  If i head to a synagogue, at least i will not have to put up with the paranoid rantings from some crazy person.  At least it was not the priests that were teaching this rubbish.  I must admit, the whole thing has put me off.  Faith is treated like a big joke by most people who are just looking down their noses at us and when i do meet

My Lenten Diary: week 4

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Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 23rd of March 2021 The feeling that no one is here has returned making this week increasingly more difficult.  Earlier in the week, the news from the Vatican stating that the Church couldn't bless gay unions has highlighted a massive chasm in the Church with the gays on one side and the heterosexuals on the other.  Anyone that speaks out against the gays comes under attack and is threatened with legal action. Subsequently, the Church has become a really unhappy place because of the attempts to make us 'Love the gays.'  I have begun to feel unwelcome as a straight man in Church.  All i want is God.  More and more i wish Jesus was here to sort this whole mess out.  While in Church, i feel that we are all under the monitoring eye's of the liberal overlords policing our thoughts.  Furthermore, it is less and less like Church doctoring that we are learning and more and more like liberal brainwashing. Are we losing the Church? I am hungry.

My Lenten Diary: week 3

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Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 16th of March 2021  The whole feel of Lent has changed for me.  I don't feel lost or lonely any more. Most noticeable, is my desire to pray more than ever.  In fact, i find myself praying endlessly all day and just want to stay in and pray all day, which i then do.  I also get the distinct feeling that i am not alone, which is the opposite of what i have been feeling and the need to pray the chaplet for the Mercy to Forgive Another almost overwhelming.  I still find myself disappearing into the past; however, the crying has not stopped.  I look out of the windows and at the blue sky and then i notice the fence, which in turn leads to a feeling of being back in one of the houses i grew up in.  The second house i remember living at to be exact.  I remember going to see Star Wars and becoming fascinated by it to the point that i was surrounded by cards with gum and magazines about it. I would watch it when ever it came on the TV too.  Then i realis

My Lenten Diary: Week 2

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Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 9th of March 2021 Lent is a time of fasting and repenting.  It is a time of simple clothing and simple foods.  Most will give more and pray more during the Lenten period.  As we get deeper into Lent, we deepen our faith in Jesus turning to Him more for comfort.  Although this is a sombre time of year, it can greatly increase our trust in God.   Attacks On The Christian Church Early this week, i have found it difficult to ignore the attacks on the Christian Church.  Mostly, it is an attempt to silence the Christian Church.  Many people have had their posts removed from different social media platforms or even been banned!  This Lent has been the hardest i have ever had.  I really do feel that we are under attack from foreign nations and pro-communists and i believe that Satan is ultimately behind it all. Something Feels Wrong Nothing feels right, so i try cleaning everything but it doesn't change how i feel.  I really get the feeling that a deepe

My Lenten Diary: Week 1

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Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 2nd of March 2021  I feel compelled to write something about my experience this Lent.  It has not been like any other Lent and i might struggle to explain.  For some reason i have found it difficult to fast as i usually would; nonetheless, i am getting to grips with it.  However, as we move deeper into lent i feel more and more lonely, which is an experience i seldom have.  Perhaps God wants me to experience loneliness so i can better relate to others who do feel lonely most days.   Throughout my live i have always had company even if i am on my own, i know family are never to far away and that, at least, they exist.  Now i feel alone because nearly all my family i grew up with have gone.  I have nothing, but Jesus.  Is this what it is like to have no one?  Could an orphan relate to my experience of loneliness? It must be tough to grow up with no family.  I can't imagine what that would feel like.  I do, however, wonder what an orphans prayers m

Meals for Lent

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Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 24th of February 2021    Lent is a period of fasting and repentance.  Sometimes people give up something that they like as an offering to God and in order to spend more time with God in prayer.  For most of us, the fast means one meal with two small snacks that wouldn't make a meal if added together. Meal ideas for Lent Since the idea is to keep meals simple, i have stuck with how my Nan taught me, which is no eggs or dairy throughout the duration of Lent.  For us vegans, this means no egg or dairy alternatives and no mock meats on Wednesday and Friday.  However, many will just stick to eating less and giving up something. Latin Fried Potato Salad This is one of my favourite meals.  Full of flavour goodness and taste.  This is a light meal that will keep you going through the day. Caramelised Apple And Tempeh Basic dish that you can add to with veg and potato or even pasta if you need.  A very light meal for lent that has good levels of protein

Vegan Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday

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Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 17th of February 2022  Pancake day is almost here, yay!  But now you are a vegan and you want to know how to make vegan pancakes.  Well, it is very straight forward and easy and I have two classic recipes for you depending on if you like your pancakes thin with lemon or fat with fruit.  Before we get started, what is Pancake day and why is it called Shrove Tuesday? Shrove Tuesday This is the day before Ash Wednesday, is in preparation for Lent and the subsequent fasting.  For some this period of fasting will mean simple eating with no meat, fat, sugar, dairy, eggs, or some luxury.  Shrove Tuesday is about repenting of sins before starting lent.  Notably, people would make pancakes as a way to use up any eggs, milk, and sugar that they had in the house before the solemn season of Lent.  However, since we are vegan, we don't have dairy anyway.  Nevertheless, giving up dairy alternatives would be a great thing to do during Lent.  Thin with lemon (En