Lent and Repent

Repent

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope

Let us fix our attention on the Blood of Christ and recognize how precious it is to God His father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

Jonah preaching to the Nenevites

If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to Him.  When Noah preached God’s message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved.  Jonah told the Nenevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented, their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God’s people.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the ministers of God’s grace have spoken of repentance; indeed the Master of the whole universe Himself spoke of repentance with an oath: As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the death of the sinner but his repentance. He added this evidence of His goodness: House of Israel, repent of your wickedness.  Tell the sons of my people: 

If their sins should reach from earth to heaven, 

if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, 

you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say, 

“Father”, and I will listen to you as to a holy people.

In other words, God wanted all His beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and He confirmed this desire by His own Almighty Will.  That is why we should obey His sovereign and glorious Will and prayerfully entreat His Mercy and Kindness.  We should be suppliant before Him and turn to His compassion, rejecting empty works and quarreling and jealousy which only lead to death.

Brothers, we should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger.  Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit says: 

The wise man must not glory in his wisdom 

nor the strong man in his strength 

nor the rich man in his riches.  

Rather, let him who glories 

glory in the Lord 

by seeking Him 

and doing what is right and just.  

Recall especially what the Lord Jesus said when He taught gentleness and forebearance.  

Be merciful, He said, 

so that you may have mercy shown to you.  

Forgive, 

so that you may be forgiven.  

As you treat others, 

so you will be treated.  

As you give, 

so you will receive.  

As you judge, 

so you will be judged. 

 As you are kind to others, 

so you will be treated kindly.  

The measure of your giving 

will be the measure of your receiving.

Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to His Sacred Words.  As Scripture asks: 

Jesus Teaching the people

Whom shall I look upon with favor 

except the humble, 

peaceful man 

who trembles at my words?

Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning.

Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to His splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all His blessings.

Bring LENT Home

Lenten Traditions within the Home

How can families better live the spirit of Lent in their homes?

The Catholic Church has designated the liturgical season of Lent to be a period of fasting and self-denial in imitation of Christ’s fasting for forty days and forty nights (CCC, 538-40).  Through participation in Lenten Liturgies and pious customs, families enhance their experience of the glory of Easter.

“Either we live the liturgical year with its varying seasons of joy an sorrow, work and rest, or we follow the patters of the world.”  Writes Helen McLoughlin in Advent and Christmas in a Catholic Home, commenting on the challenge Catholics have to be “in the world but not of the world” throughout the year.

Because we both learn and express ourselves through our bodies, we subject ourselves to meaningful practices during Lent.  On Ash Wednesday, foreheads of the faithful are anointed with blessed ashes in the sign of the cross, while the priest pronounces the words, “Remember, man that thou art dust, and dust thou shalt return” (see Genesis 3:19).  Fridays and Ash Wednesday are obligatory days of penance.  Len is particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages, voluntary self-denial (fasting and almsgiving), and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works). 

Within the home, families try ideas that may eventually become customs.  Here are a few suggestions:

FAMILY OFFERING: Decide as a family to give something up for Lent.  This could be anything from desserts or sweets to watching television.

LENTEN CANDELABRUM (Stations of the Cross):  Twelve wooden candleholders on a three-foot board, perhaps with small pictures for each station.  After each station extinguish a candle.  After the twelfth station it is dark—the Light of the World  is gone.  Finish the last two stations with a small flashlight.

LENTEN CENTERPIECE: Six candles on a cross of wood (perhaps two pieces of the trunk of the Christmas tree to symbolize the Incarnation), four on the vertical  and two on the horizontal.  Trim with a violet ribbon and place on a violet table runner.  As with an Advent wreath, light an additional candle each week.  The candles symbolize a growing light of the coming Resurrection.

READ SCRIPTURE TOGETHER: Read especially the Gospel accounts of Christ’s Passion.  Be forewarned that the children might raise questions.

VISIT THE SICK: If you don’t have an elderly family member nearby, visit a convalescent hospital and adopt an elderly person as a grandparent.

FAMILY PRAYER TIME: If you have given up the television or computer games, why not fill that time with conversation with Our Lord and Savior?  The children develop a true friendship with Christ; the reality of His life, Passion and Death becomes more real to them.

SING TOGETHER: Bring a missalette home and sing Lenten songs together.   Sacred music before, during or after any family prayer helps us to meditate on Lent and anticipate Easter.

PALM SUNDAY: Bring palms home from Mass and place them behind a crucifix or statue or in some other prominent place.

HOLY WEEK: Rally the troops to deep clean the home. Pack up unused clothing and toys and give them to the poor and needy.  Reflect on Christ’s Passion and death.

What will work well in your family and become a Lenten tradition?  Form a lasting impression on your children and teach the fundamentals of our rich Catholic Faith.

Taken from Faith Fact at www.cuf.org/FaithFacts/

 Prepare, Pray, Fast and Give this Lent

as you Walk through the Lenten Path Calendar.

 Print the Lent Calendar PDF and calendar marker template each onto an 8 ½” x 11” flexible magnetic sheet. Frame the Calendar without the glass and then cut the magnet markers with paper cutter or scissors. This was an easy project and a great way to help kids keep track day by day during the Lenten season.

http://gaelstreasures.blogspot.ca/2013/02/lentan-path-calendar-printable.html