Little Black Book

This Lent I picked up a book called "The Little Black Book" from church. It has prayers and reflections for each day of Lent. One side has random thoughts/information that has to do with the Catholic Church. The other side has a reflection of the weekly readings from Sunday's mass. I've been trying to read it everyday. 

Lent is a time for fasting, prayer, and penitence as we prepare for Easter. As a part of that we try to "give something up for Lent." It could also be adding something extra, like going to church more than once a week or say an extra prayer daily. Reading through the Little Black Book, I found an excerpt interesting about how one famous women changed during one Lenten season. Her name is Dorothy Day. 

Here is what it had to say:

"Like many Catholics, when Lent rolls around each year, peace activist Dorothy Day tried to give something up. A heavy smoker, her day began with a cigarette, and it was followed by many others throughout the day.

But during Lent, she tried to give up the habit.

And it was hard- both on her and on the people around her.

Giving up cigarettes made her irritable, and many of her coworkers secretly prayed she would light up.

One day, Dorothy's confessor suggested that instead of giving up cigarettes that Lent, why not pray each day, 'Dear God, please help me stop smoking.' 

Dorothy agreed and continued to pray that prayer each day during Lent, and for several more years, before reaching for her pack of cigarettes.

One morning, she woke up, reached for her cigarette....and didn't want one.

She never smoked again."

"On this day (March 16) in the year 2000, the Vatican agreed to request from the late Cardinal John O'Connor of New York to begin the process of considering whether Dorothy Day should be become a canonized saint. That process continues today."

It made me think...