Lent to Easter
Our call to bring about the Kingdom of God ~ a focus in Lent
In Jesus' life and ministry, the Kingdom of God was the focus of everything that he said and did. Jesus shared his giftedness with all, especially the poor and became the model for unselfish, loving service based on the two great commandments, love of God and love of neighbour.
People who met Jesus were affected by the person he was: his actions and words through which he brought healing and forgiveness. Jesus excluded no one from his love and care. His example challenges us to reach out to all with the same love and care that he showed to others.
The Season of Lent is a time in which we focus on our call to bring about the kingdom of God in our own lives. The actions of almsgiving, fasting and prayer help to direct our minds to injustice in the world and our call to make a difference.
In Jesus' life and ministry, the Kingdom of God was the focus of everything that he said and did. Jesus shared his giftedness with all, especially the poor and became the model for unselfish, loving service based on the two great commandments, love of God and love of neighbour.
People who met Jesus were affected by the person he was: his actions and words through which he brought healing and forgiveness. Jesus excluded no one from his love and care. His example challenges us to reach out to all with the same love and care that he showed to others.
The Season of Lent is a time in which we focus on our call to bring about the kingdom of God in our own lives. The actions of almsgiving, fasting and prayer help to direct our minds to injustice in the world and our call to make a difference.
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Prayer, fasting and almsgiving
Prayer
Prayer is raising one’s heart and mind to God. It is a response to God's invitation to seek him.
Three common forms of prayer are vocal prayer, meditation and contemplative prayer.
Vocal prayer is prayer of mind, heart and lips. It is prayer spoken audibly.
Meditation is a mental (unspoken) prayer in which a person, after quiet reflection, arrives at or strengthens a resolution to live a better Christian life. Meditation can lead a person to know Jesus better and follow him more closely.
Contemplative (mental) prayer is unspoken prayer in which a person is united to God and ponders God’s truths.
Fasting
Fasting is the practice of abstaining from food, either completely or partially, for a specified period. It is an ancient practice found in most religions of the world.
Most religions designate certain days or seasons as times of fasting, such as Lent, Yom Kippur and Ramadan.
Certain events in the lives of individual persons have been considered appropriate times for fasting, such as the day or night before a major personal commitment.
Today, fasting is also linked to the call to love one's neighbour and as a symbol of identifying with the poor and hungry of the world.
Aside from abstaining from food, the concept of fasting may also be extended to the idea of always using resources in a responsible and sustainable manner, so that there is always sufficient for everyone.
Almsgiving
Almsgiving is tied closely with fasting.
When fasting, the money saved is donated to the needy through the missions, the Church or a worthy charity. In a family with small children, it helps to make this a visual practice by, for example, having a jar or box in the centre of the table as a reminder and measure of progress.
It is also considered "almsgiving" to give one's time and goods to those who are in need, i.e., mowing lawns for the elderly, giving clothes to charity, visiting people who are house-bound, running errands for people who aren’t mobile and other similar practices.
Prayer is raising one’s heart and mind to God. It is a response to God's invitation to seek him.
Three common forms of prayer are vocal prayer, meditation and contemplative prayer.
Vocal prayer is prayer of mind, heart and lips. It is prayer spoken audibly.
Meditation is a mental (unspoken) prayer in which a person, after quiet reflection, arrives at or strengthens a resolution to live a better Christian life. Meditation can lead a person to know Jesus better and follow him more closely.
Contemplative (mental) prayer is unspoken prayer in which a person is united to God and ponders God’s truths.
Fasting
Fasting is the practice of abstaining from food, either completely or partially, for a specified period. It is an ancient practice found in most religions of the world.
Most religions designate certain days or seasons as times of fasting, such as Lent, Yom Kippur and Ramadan.
Certain events in the lives of individual persons have been considered appropriate times for fasting, such as the day or night before a major personal commitment.
Today, fasting is also linked to the call to love one's neighbour and as a symbol of identifying with the poor and hungry of the world.
Aside from abstaining from food, the concept of fasting may also be extended to the idea of always using resources in a responsible and sustainable manner, so that there is always sufficient for everyone.
Almsgiving
Almsgiving is tied closely with fasting.
When fasting, the money saved is donated to the needy through the missions, the Church or a worthy charity. In a family with small children, it helps to make this a visual practice by, for example, having a jar or box in the centre of the table as a reminder and measure of progress.
It is also considered "almsgiving" to give one's time and goods to those who are in need, i.e., mowing lawns for the elderly, giving clothes to charity, visiting people who are house-bound, running errands for people who aren’t mobile and other similar practices.
PRAYER
List some traditional prayers you know and discuss the reasons you pray and times of day you pray. How can prayer deepen our relationship with God? Think about Jesus’ journey to the desert and how and why he may have prayed. Imagine you spent 40 days in the desert. What was difficult about the time? How did you communicate with God? What were the sorts of things you asked for? Why did you pray? |
FASTING
Think about the concept of fasting through the story of Jesus in the Wilderness (Lk 4: 1-12). Consider the temptations and how Jesus responded to each of them. When we fast during Lent, how do we deepen our relationship with God? |
ALMSGIVING
Explore the concept of almsgiving with the passage from Isaiah 58:6-7. As disciples of Jesus, how and why is almsgiving our responsibility during Lent? Through Almsgiving, how do we deepen our relationship with God? |
Luke 4: 1-12 Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
Now filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan River. And then the Spirit led him into the desert. 2 There the devil tempted Jesus for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during this time, and when it was finished, he was very hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this rock to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive.’” 5 Then the devil took Jesus and in a moment of time showed him all the kingdoms of the world. 6 The devil said to him, “I will make you king over all these places. You will have power over them, and you will get all the glory. It has all been given to me. I can give it to anyone I want. 7 I will give it all to you, if you will only worship me.” 8 Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only him.’” 9 Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on a high place at the edge of the Temple area. He said to him, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 The Scriptures say, ‘God will command his angels to take care of you.’ 11 It is also written, ‘Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’” 12 Jesus answered, “But the Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” |
Isaiah 58: 6-7 Almsgiving
6 “I will tell you the kind of day I want—a day to set people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off others. I want a day when you set troubled people free and you take the burdens from their shoulders. 7 I want you to share your food with the hungry. I want you to find the poor who don’t have homes and bring them into your own homes. When you see people who have no clothes, give them your clothes! Don’t hide from your relatives when they need help.” |
How Can I Pray? - Ignatian Examen
A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us. Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings?
God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of these sins and faults. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to her in some way.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope.
St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus. Ask forgiveness for your sins. Ask for his protection and help. Ask for his wisdom about the questions you have and the problems you face. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude. Your life is a gift, and it is adorned with gifts from God.
End the Daily Examen with the Our Father.
- See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/#sthash.O7nHT9Kd.dpuf
A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us. Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings?
God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of these sins and faults. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to her in some way.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope.
St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus. Ask forgiveness for your sins. Ask for his protection and help. Ask for his wisdom about the questions you have and the problems you face. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude. Your life is a gift, and it is adorned with gifts from God.
End the Daily Examen with the Our Father.
- See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/#sthash.O7nHT9Kd.dpuf