St. Margaret Mary was Novice Directress for a time and one Lent, she suggested to her novices to follow these Lenten instructions, which may give all of us a practical way to live this Holy season:
“Behold, my very dear Sisters, a little challenge, as I think you need to live according to our holy observances, and make you worthy to receive abundant graces of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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You will know the love that you have for Him if you remain faithful in His service, as stated in the Constitution, that your ears, your language, your eyes and your heart serves Him in love, that you enclose all within the Sacred Heart, to find a new life in mind and love, with a whole mortification of the senses, by controlling the curiosity of your eyes and looking to the Lord in your heart.
You will mortify your language by saying nothing useless in the time of silence; and in conversations no words of complaint; not advertising that for which you are praised nor excusing yourself of your faults.
Be obedient; not showing your dislikes, inclinations, aversions; not speaking of some with contempt, and others with respect.
You will mortify your taste eating whatever is set before you, without choosing anything.
You will control the curiosity of your ears by depriving them of that which could give distraction; you will make five practices, saying:
O Sacred Heart, I’m dying to pleasure, to live only your love!
That’s what I think he asks of you: you die to yourself in this holy season of Lent, to rise with him. ‘”
Source: Life and works of St Margaret Mary, translated and paraphrased from the French, letter XLIX