Lent 2020 began on Wednesday February 26, 2020
What is Lent?
The season of Lent is a Catholic liturgical season consisting of forty days of fasting, prayer, and penitence beginning at Ash Wednesday and concluding at sundown on Holy Thursday. The official liturgical color for the season of Lent is violet.
10 Tips for Making the Lenten Season More Meaningful
Slow Down – Set aside 10 minutes a day for silent prayer or meditation. It will revitalize your body and your spirit.
Read a good book – You could choose the life of a saint, a spiritual how-to, an inspirational book or one of the pope’s new books.
Be kind – Go out of your way to do something nice for someone else every day.
Pray – Especially for people you don’t like and for people who don’t like you.
Tune out – Turn off the media devices and spend quality time talking with family members or friends.
Clean out closets – Donate gently used items to a charity such as Good Shepherd, St. Vincent de Paul or CFFC Dr. Simone Warehouse).
Donate – Pick a Catholic mission and decide how you can help by sending money, clothing or supplies.
Lenten Regulations
The Catholic Church, in an attempt to help Catholics do at least a minimum during Lent, asks all Catholics to fast and abstain from meat on certain days. Fasting means to limit food to one full meal a day with the possibility of two smaller meals (not adding up to a full meal) as needed. Abstinence means not eating meat, although fish is allowed. Catholics are required to observe all days of fasting and abstinence which is one of the precepts of the Church.
Those 14 years of age or older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics between the ages of 16 and 59 are also to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They may eat one full meal on these days, and two small meals to maintain strength. The two small meals together must not equal the size of one full meal. If one’s work or health make it inadvisable to fast or abstain from meat, they are not obligated to do so. This includes mental health: Fasting may be harmful for someone who struggles with an eating disorder. Such a person might do an alternate penance on the days of fasting. Pregnant and nursing women are exempt from the fast.
Lenten Prayer
God of goodness and mercy,
Hear my prayer as this continue my Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love.
May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace.
Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen.
LENT QUIZ
How Are the 40 Days of Lent Calculated?
The number “40” has always had special spiritual significance regarding preparation. On Mount Sinai, preparing to receive the Ten Commandments, “Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, without eating any food or drinking any water” (Ex 34:28). Elijah walked “40 days and 40 nights” to the mountain of the Lord, Mount Horeb (another name for Sinai) (I Kgs 19:8). Most importantly, Jesus fasted and prayed for “40 days and 40 nights” in the desert before He began His public ministry (Mt 4:2). Lent begins 40 days before Easter. The Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and goes for 40 days excluding the Sundays. Because Sundays are always the joyful celebration of the Resurrection. It ends on the Good Friday.
DO THE MATH:
Lent to include 40 days on which fasting could occur, it had to be expanded to six full weeks (with six days of fasting in each week since we do not fast on Sundays) plus four extra days—Ash Wednesday and the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday that follow it. Six times six is thirty-six, plus four equals forty. And that’s how we arrive at the 40 days of Lent!
QUIZ ON NUMBERS IN LENT:
- The number of days from Ash Wednesday to Easter is actually:
A. 40;
B. 42;
C. 44;
D. 46;
- In which Station of the Cross does our Lord meet his Blessed Mother?
A. XI;
B. IV;
C. IX;
D. VI;
- The season of Lent is known in Spanish as Cuaresma, which comes from the Latin meaning:
A. 4 weeks
B. 3 days
C. fasting on 2 loaves of bread for 14 days
D. 40;
- Lent is known to be 40 days long even though from Ash Wednesday to the last Saturday of the season it is 46 days. Why?
A. Sundays are not included
B. Mondays are not included
C. Counting error
D. Saturdays are not included
5. How many pieces of silver did Judas get for betraying the Lord Jesus? Matthew 26 verse 14-16
A. 10
B. 20
C. 30
D. 40
6. How many years were the Hebrews in the wilderness? Numbers 32 verse 13
A. 10
B. 20
C. 30
D. 40
7. Which of the following events did NOT take 40 days?
A. Jesus’ fast after his baptism
B. Elijah’s journey into the wilderness
C. Paul shipwrecked on Melita
D. Spying out the promised land
8. Name the event observed by the Christians 42 days after Ash Wednesday.
A. Holy Thursday
B. Easter
C. Good Friday
D. Easter Monday
ANSWERS
1. D (Sundays don’t count toward the 40)
2. B (the fourth station)
3. D
4. Answer (A) Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent.
5. C – 30
6. D – 40
7. C Paul shipwrecked on Melita
8. B
Prayers are needed during a pandemic
This is an occasion for all of us – especially in families – to pray more intensely for each other and especially for those who have succumbed to the illness. We should pray also for those at the frontlines – especially doctors, nurses and medical staff and other carers, including clergy – that the Lord will protect them as they place their own wellbeing at risk in the service of all.
Here are some prayers that ask God for help, comfort and salvation:
Lúireach Phádraig – Saint Patrick’s Breastplate
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
(St. Patrick Breastplate)
Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary during the coronavirus pandemic
O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
(Pope Francis)
Common Prayer to God for Help
God our Father, Creator of the world, almighty and merciful, out of love for us
You sent your Son into the world as the doctor of our souls and our bodies,
look upon your children who, in this difficult time of confusion and dismay in
many regions of the world, turn to you seeking strength, salvation
and relief, deliver us from illness and fear, heal our sick, comfort their families, give wisdom to our rulers, energy and reward to our doctors, nurses and volunteers, eternal
life to the dead. Do not abandon us in the moment of trial.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Amen.
(Jesuit Institute)
A Message from the Diocese of Hamilton
An Invitation to Pray
During these Lenten days, and mindful of all who are affected by the COVID-19 Virus, we are called to be more fervent in prayer. Since we are not able to gather publicly for prayer at this time, we are encouraged to pray with our families in our homes, our “domestic” churches, and to draw on the many spiritual resources which are part of our Catholic tradition.
On Friday, March 27, 2020, Pope Francis will preside over a moment of prayer at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He invites everyone to participate in this prayer by means of communication. The celebration will consist of readings from the Scriptures, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. At the conclusion of the prayer Pope Francis will give the Urbi et orbi Blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live through the various forms of communication. This service of prayer will take place at 6:00 p.m. Rome time (1:00 p.m. Daylight Saving Time in Ontario).
The Plenary Indulgence is granted to all who, with a spirit detached from any sin, unite themselves spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion, or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters, with the will to fulfil the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father’s intentions), as soon as possible.
The Prayer of the Holy Rosary is especially recommended during this time of crisis. Families and individuals are encouraged to pray the Rosary daily. Pope Francis offers us these encouraging and insightful words:
“The Rosary is the prayer of the humble and of the saints. In its mysteries, they contemplate, along with Mary, the life of Jesus, the merciful face of the Father. O, how much we all need to be truly comforted, to be wrapped in loving presence! We measure the truth of this experience through our relationship with others. At this moment, they are our closest relatives. Let us be close to one another, being the first to be charitable, understanding, patient and forgiving. Though you may be confined to your own homes, allow your hearts to expand so they may be available and welcoming to all.”
May we unite ourselves with all Canadians and Catholics throughout the world in offering this prayer, relying on the powerful intercession of Mary, our Mother, the Mother of Church.
(Hamiltondiocese.com)