Lent is a period in the liturgical year that can be profoundly fruitful if you really enter into it. Dont' allow this Lent to be a period where you give up Mountain Dew, but don't pray anymore than you usually do and remain stagnant in your relationship with God. Really examine why you are giving up something. What is the purpose? We give up things in order to allow God to strip away the distractions in our lives, to be emptied of the fleeting things of this world so that God can fill us with his divine life and grace. God loves you and wants you to be open to receiving his love. Lent is a special time for being purged of the things that distract us from God or the things that put a wall between us. Allow God to knock down the wall and flood your soul with his joy and peace. Lent is a time of conversion, so if you're giving up Mountain Dew just because you always give up Mountain Dew for Lent, then it's time to deeply examine your heart. We need conversion, so in praying about what God wants you to do this Lent, consider what will help your heart be converted to Him. Enter into prayer - stop in the Chapel during the day more often even if just for a couple minutes just to tell Jesus you love him and hear him say that He loves you - go to daily Mass more - go to Confession more - go to Adoration - all these things will provide moments of grace allowing your heart to be molded for love. Repent and believe in the Gospel.
Don't forget to check out Marcel's Lenten mega-post here.
Ash Wednesday Masses at the Newman Center will be at 12:15pm and 5:15pm.
I always like to encourage people to read because there are so many good Catholic books out there to help us in advancing in the universal call to holiness. Holiness isn't just for a few, it's for EVERYONE! Holiness is happiness. So here are some book suggestions that would be a good read for Lent (a small list, but this post would go on forever if we listed all of them):
Daughter of St. Paul, Sr. Julia Mary recommends the following (two of which are listed above):
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