LENT 2014
Ash Wednesday begins the 40 days of the Season of Lent for all Christians
PLEASE DO ADD COMMENTS AND YOUR INSIGHTS OF LENT 2012
PLEASE DO ADD COMMENTS AND YOUR INSIGHTS OF LENT 2012
DID YOU KNOW ?
+ LENT derives from sources as Anglo-Saxon ‘lencten’ meaning ‘springtime’.
In the 2nd century Christians fasted and prepared for two days; by the 3rd
century this was extended to all of Holy Week and by the 4th century
to the now familiar 40 days.
+ FORTY represents the 40 years that the People of Israel traveled the desert with
Moses ( from slavery to freedom) and the 40 days that Noah was in the ark and
the forty days that Jesus was in the desert tempted by the devil.
+ While the Season of Lent is 40 days the Season of Easter is 50 days
( Easter to Pentecost) - this is significant. We are to celebrate not only Lent but Easter Season
+ Lent is traditionally marked by three signs of conversion that are biblically based
a. Almsgiving ( donations of money, time and talent);
b. Fasting ( purifying and focusing oneself n solidarity with Christ and the poor);
c. Prayer
These practises are based in the Bible Readings of Ash Wednesday :
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
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ONE OF MY FAVOURITE LENTEN POEMS :
PRAYER FOR A PATH OF BLESSING
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism
Fast from critism; feast on praise
Fast from self-pity; feast on joy
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness
Fast from idle gossip; feast on silence
Fast from jealousy; feast from love
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope
Fast from fear; feast on faith
Fast from anger; feast on patience
THIS YEAR I WANT TO FAST FROM .......
THIS YEAR I WANT TO FEAST ON ........
People of Israel with Moses in the desert was 40 years not days, I do read what you write :-) .
ReplyDeleteI want to fast from pride and feast on humility.
Time to reflect on the past year, have I made any progress in becoming more like Jesus. Where are my works? Where have I failed? How can I do better?
Yes - it was a trick question. Moses and the Hebrew People were 40 years in the desert. If it were 40 days that would have been quite a sprint !
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