Lent and Easter Notes
Lent Lent is a 7 week period (40 days) before Easter It is our time to remember the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ For Catholics, it’s the holiest time of the year It is also a time for us to make a conversion (taking the good in our lives and making it better or changing from a sinful life to a holy life.)
Lent Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent We receive ashes to remind us that we came from dust and will return to dust after our death
Lent During Lent we are asked to make sacrifices On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we must fast (eat only one full meal) and abstain (no meat) We must abstain from meat on all Fridays during Lent These rules apply to people between the ages of 14 - 65
Holy Week The last week of Lent is called Holy Week The important events of this week are: Palm Sunday: Jesus rides to Jerusalem in a triumphant parade. The people shower him with Palm leaves Spy Wednesday: Judas arranges to betray Jesus with 30 pieces of silver
Holy Week Holy Thursday: The Last Supper Jesus and Apostles have supper together Jesus gives us the sacraments of Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Holy Orders Crowning with thorn Peter denies Jesus three times
Holy Week Good Friday Easter Saturday (Easter Vigil) Jesus carries His cross to His death Jesus dies on the cross Jesus is buried Easter Saturday (Easter Vigil)
Easter Sunday Easter Sunday (The Resurrection) Jesus rises on this day He stays on Earth for forty more days His Resurrection proves He is God
Symbols of Lent The Symbols of Lent are: Purple Vestments Stations of the Cross Fasting and Abstinence No Flowers in the Church Ashes
The Triduum The last three days of Holy Week are: Holy Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) These three days are known as the Triduum
Easter Easter is a season of new life, because Jesus will go to a new life in heaven Resurrection is another name for Easter Easter is the most important feast of the liturgical year, because it proved He was God
Easter After Jesus rose from the dead, He stayed on Earth for forty days He appeared to many people during this time He promised the Apostles that He would send someone to watch over them He made Peter, the head of the Church or Pope On the fortieth day, Jesus ascended body and soul back to His Father in heaven. This is called Ascension Thursday
Easter On the fiftieth day after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to give the Apostles courage and strength to go out and spread God’s message This is known as Pentecost Sunday
The Symbols of Easter are: White Lily Holy Water (Symbol of New Life) Paschal Candle White Vestments