Lenten disciplines

I can't really share with you what my Lenten discipline is, mindful of what is always read from Matthew every Ash Wednesday about how those who manifest public piety have already received their reward.

But if you're a Christian casting about for meaningful ways to eke out a Lenten discipline, here's a way that can help - something called the Liturgy of the Hours. It is an ancient practice of selecting differing prayers and psalms from the Bible, and reading them at appointed hours during the day. The Anglicans/Episcopalians even have a delightful tradition of singing the evening prayers, which they call Evensong.

Normally, figuring out which prayers to find and recite is a complicated task. But thanks, to the Internet it is now as simple as can be. Universalis can show you what prayers and psalms to say for the liturgy of the hours. You just go to the site, click on the time of day, and it just shows them. It is very handy, and I find it an excellent way to insert some solemnity into a day, Lent or not.