YOUCAT*: (1) You shall attend Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation and abstain from work or activities that offend against the character of the day. (2) You shall receive the sacrament of Penance at least once a year. (3) You shall receive the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. (4) You shall observe the prescribed seasons of fasting and days of abstinence. (5) You shall contribute to the material support of the church. [2042-2043]
I think the first question to ask is, “What is a precept?” Definitely not a word I use daily. A precept is like a rule, or a guideline, that says how people should live. The precepts of the church help us to grow in our love of God and our neighbors.
Reading these precepts during the Lenten season is not only a good reminder of what we are asked to do as Catholics, but is also encouragement for us to live the right way.
#LentChallenge: Go to Mass every Sunday during Lent and attend the Holy Week liturgies.
*Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church
Lisa Gomes is the director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry