RCIA February 22, 2017 Exploring Lent

For Discussion What comes to your mind when you hear the word “ Lent” What colours, what thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds?

Ash Wednesday and Lent in Two Minutes

For Discussion What new things did you learn about Ash Wednesday and Lent as a result of this video ?

Lent- Overview ` Word that means ‘springtime’ Part of a larger 90 day celebration of Lent/Easter/Pentecost There is no competition for the celebration of Lent/Easter like there is for Advent These 90 days are the heart of the liturgical year when we are renewed for mission and sent forth Lent/Easter seeks to empower us to live the Gospel in every aspect of our lives confront the established structures and practices that are contrary to the Gospel

Two Lenten Themes Baptismal Penetential Catholics have a well-developed sense of the penitential sense of the season Church insists on the importance of both

Two Lenten Themes Baptismal The primary theme of the season is baptismal. The final spiritual preparation for those who will be baptized at Easter The faithful support the Elect in their preparation by their prayer, fasting and support Faithful prepare to recommit to their baptism by renewing their baptismal promises at the Easter Vigil. All things are made new at Easter, including a recommitment to our life in Christ

Themes of Lent- Penitential Lent is a time to seriously examine our lives and root out all that is sinful We ask God to heal the areas of deep-seated sin, weakness and woundedness We make a heartfelt commitment to change our lives. We ask God to heal us- we ask for the grace to grow and to be converted more profoundly to Jesus Christ The Church takes an entire season to reflect on the baptismal and penitential realities of Lent

Lenten Time Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and extends for six weeks We ritualize our commitment to enter this time of baptismal and penitential conversion with with a sign of the cross placed on our forehead with ashes ashes are a sign of our commitment of renewal, to be reborn at Easter through the waters of baptism Church designates three disciplines that help us more fully participate in the season of Lent - prayer, fasting , almsgiving

The Three Disciplines of Lent- Come back to me with all your heart These practices are designed to help us to radiate life- to radiate Christ Prayer Is prayer about quality or quantity?- Is prayer about words or an attitude of life? What prevents me from praying regularly? What could we do so that our Sunday liturgy spills over from Monday - Saturday?

Web Resources for Lenten Prayer Lectio Divina Lenten Sunday Gospels https://www.dbb.org.au/news/dsp-default-lectio.cfm?loadref=588 The Gospel for All Ages Exploring the Sunday Readings JesuitPrayer.org

Our Lenten Practices Fasting- Learning to be a hungry Christian Hungry for God’s kingdom What distracts me from a relationship with God and other people? What might we fast from which would make a difference in the world?

Fast From Feast On... Do you see yourself in any of this poem? Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ dwelling in them. Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of life. Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light. Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God. Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify. Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism. Fast from worry; feast on divine order.

...Fast From Feast On Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives. Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer. Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance. Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness. Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others. Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth Fast from discouragements; feast on hope. Fast from facts that depress; feast on verities that uplift Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm. Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire. Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity. Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds. -William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Our Lenten Practices Almsgiving -commonly understood as a monetary donation Does that bring us into solidarity with those who are in need? Does it make a lasting difference? How can we together give our time, talents, personal comfort? ShareLife

Our Lenten Practices 25 Great Things You Can Do This Lent

From Lent to Holy Week Lent officially ends at the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s supper on Holy Thursday Holy Week is time for extended meditation on cross of Christ Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday In addition to the three disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we also engage in other spiritual practices such as care for the poor Stations of the Cross- meditation on the stages of Jesus passion and journey to Calvary

Themes and Symbols from the Sunday Readings The Desert- First Sunday of Lent Israelites wandered for forty years place of temptation, a place where the people of Israel were both faithful and unfaithful Desert is a place of encounter with God Jesus was victorious just as we can be victorious with God’s grace to help us.

Themes and Symbols from Readings Liturgies help prepare the elect for baptism prepare the faithful to renew baptismal promises Readings help us reflect on the power of sin in our life, and on the reality of grace Lent is a meditation on the need to turn our lives over to God to express sorrow for the sin in our life

Closing Thoughts Have we physically set aside a prayer space for our Lenten journey? . What is the grace we desire to deepen within us during Lent? To deepen our understanding of Jesus’ Passion? To walk with Jesus through his Passion and Resurrection? To work on overcoming a temptation that keeps us from fully entering into life with Christ? To foster a new spiritual practice to ignite or inflame our relationship with Jesus? In these last few days before Lent begins, . We can turn to Jesus and ask, “What is the grace you desire to deepen within me over these next 40 days?”