What is Lent?

Revised Version

Mr. Pablo
Cuadra
 What is Lent?
 Lent is one of the
five liturgical
seasons in the
liturgical year.

 During this time the People

of God are called to
commemorate and reflect on
the Lord’s passion through
spiritual preparation,
conversion, and penance.

 This Holy Season is an

invitation to renew our
baptismal call. To live as
Sons and daughters of God
 What is the meaning of the
word Lent?
 Lent is a Germanic word
that basically means spring
season.

 The Latin equivalent is

quadragesima a word
meaning “forty days”.

 Spring is a time of change

and renewal

 The winter is over life

begins to grow again.

 Lent is a spiritual spring, a

time for spiritual growth
and renewal.
 Did you know?
 Lent is preceded by
the first section of
Ordinary time and
followed by the
season of Easter.
 When does Lent Begin?
 The season of Lent begins
on Ash Wednesday.

 Did you know?

Catholics are not the only
Christians celebrating Ash
Wednesday.

 Ash Wednesday is
celebrated by other
Christian denominations
such as: Lutherans,
Episcopalians, Anglicans,
and Methodists.
 Did you know?
 On Ash Wednesday one
billion Catholics around the
world go to Church to
receive the Ashes during
mass or outside the mass.

 Catholics then begin the

Holy season of Lent.
 Why is it called Ash
Wednesday?
 Ash Wednesday is so called
because on this day Ashes
are used to mark Catholics
on their foreheads as a sign
of conversion and
repentance.

 Did you know?

The ashes used on Ash
Wednesday come from the
blessed palms left over from
the previous year.

 The palms are burnt to

produce the ashes. Ashes
are considered sacramentals
and are blessed before their
use.
 What is the meaning of the
Ashes?
 A. The ashes are a symbol of
repentance and
conversion.

 B. The ashes act as a

reminder that we are called
to die to sin and return to
God wholeheartedly.

 C. The ashes are a symbol

that reminds us that life is
fragile and that one must be
ready to face our creator.
What phrases are used to
impose the ashes?
 During the Ash Wednesday
service two phrases or
formulas are used to
impose (place) the ashes
on the forehead of
Catholics.

 These formulas are:

 “Turn away from

sin and be faithful
to the Gospel”.

 “You are dust and

into dust you shall
return.”
What is the meaning behind
these phrases?
 These phrases are
invitation to:
 A. Repentance
 B. Reconciliation
 C. Penance
 D. Discipleship
How do we prepare spiritually
for Lent?
 A. By letting go of
sinful behavior
 B. By seeking
conversion (interior
change)
 C. By practicing
Penance
 D. By following the
teachings of Christ.
(Discipleship)
 E. By practicing the
three pillars of Lent.
 What is Penance?
 Penance: is making
amends

 Amends = Making up
for what we do
wrong.

 Lent is an opportunity
to clean up the inner
mess and fix our lives
and our relationship
with God and
neighbor.
 What are the three pillars of
Lent?
 A. Prayer
 B. Fasting
 C. Almsgiving
 Why is Fasting different from
Dieting?
 Fasting is an spiritual
exercise.

 For the Hebrews fasting was

more than just afflicting one’s
body.

 Fasting involved the afflicting

of one’s soul through the
denial of our wants and
desires. Is a form of spiritual
ascetism, self-control

 Fasting is an expression of
wholeheartedness and
penance.

 Dieting is something we do for

health or cosmetic reasons.
 Lenten Regulations
 All dioceses have their own
regulations for fasting. Please call
your local parish or diocese to find
out what the regulations are for
your particular diocese.

 The following regulations are

example from the Archdiocese of
Miami:

 All the Fridays of Lent are days of

abstinence. Meat may not be
eaten. The law of abstinence
binds all Catholics fourteen years
of age and older. Ash Wednesday
& Good Friday are also days of
fast. All Catholics between the
ages of 21 and 59 years old are
bound to fast. On days of fast, one
full meal and two lesser meals are
allowed. St. Mary’s Cathedral
Miami, Florida
 Eating between meals is not
permitted.
How can we improve our
prayer life during Lent?
 Increase and improve the
quality of your prayer
experience.

 You may do this by

dividing your prayer time
in three parts:

A. Morning
B. Afternoon
C. Evening

 Spend 15 to 20 minutes
alone, meditating, talking
to God.
How can we improve our
prayer life during Lent?
 A. Become familiar
with the life and
teachings of Jesus by
reading the Gospels.

 B. Each day read a

different chapter from
each of the Gospels.

 C. Try to visualized
what is happening.
 What is Almsgiving?
 Almsgiving is another word
for Charity.

 A. Charity is love in
action.

 B. Charity is a way to
reach out to those who
are in need.

For example: collecting

food cans for the hungry,
sponsoring a child in a
needed area, supporting
your local diocesan
charities.

 C. Almsgiving is a form of
self-denial, sacrifice on
 Pope Benedict XVI’s Message for Lent
2008
(excerpt)
 “For this year’s Lenten Message, I wish to spend some time
reflecting on the practice of almsgiving, which represents a
specific way to assist those in need and, at the same time,
an exercise in self-denial to free us from attachment to
worldly goods. The force of attraction to material riches and
just how categorical our decision must be not to make of
them an idol, Jesus confirms in a resolute way: “You cannot
serve God and mammon” (Lk 16,13). Almsgiving helps us to
overcome this constant temptation, teaching us to respond
to our neighbor’s needs and to share with others whatever
we possess through divine goodness.”

 To read the entire message please visit the following link:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/lent/doc
uments/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20071030_lent-2008_en.html
 How long is the season of
Lent?
 The season of Lent
is forty days long
not counting
Sundays.
 What is the Biblical meaning
for the number forty?
 In the biblical sense forty is
a time of purification and
preparation.

 A. It took forty years for

Israel to get ready and
enter the promised Land.

 B. It took forty days and

forty night for the earth to
be purified from sin in the
story of the flood.

 C. Jesus prayed forty days

and forty nights to prepare
for his public ministry.
 What is discipleship?
 Discipleship is the
process of learning to
be a disciple.

 The word disciple

means “student”.

 Student is the one

who learns from the
master.

 Discipleship is
learning to be like
Christ.
 How do we learn to be like
Christ?
 A. Study Christ’s
teachings.

 B. Let Christ’s
teachings affect
your life.

 C. Follow Christ’s
teachings

 D. Witness
Christ’s teachings
in your life and in
the world.
 Reflection from
“The Cost of Discipleship”
 "Christianity
without discipleship is
always Christianity without Christ. It
remains an abstract idea, a myth
which has a place for the Fatherhood
of God, but omits Christ as the living
Son. … There is trust in God, but no
following of Christ."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
 What is the Color of Lent?
 The liturgical color
of Lent is purple.

 Purple is a symbol
of Penance.
 What story is read the first
Sunday of Lent?
 The story of Jesus
being tempted in
the desert.

 The story is found in

Matthew 4:1-11
 What are the three universal
temptations?
 A. The temptation for
pleasure regardless of the
consequences.

 B. The temptation for

power; the need to control
and dominate others.

 C. The temptation for

popularity, the need to be
greater than God. Self-
idolatry.

 Like Jesus, We must avoid

these trappings in every
day life.
 Why are Sundays not counted
during Lent?
 Because Sunday
is the day of the
“resurrection”.

 For Christians
every Sunday is
like a mini
Easter.
 What is the climax of the
season of Lent?
 The climax of the
season of Lent is Holy
Week.

 Holy Week begins on

Palm Sunday and
ends with the Holy
Triddum.

 Triddum means:
three days. These
days are:

 Holy Thursday,
 The Community of Faith
 During Lent parishes expand the
opportunities for sacramental
confession. Don’t miss this
opportunity.

 Also during Lent many parishes

have penitential services and
parish missions. Make plans to
attend.

 Lent is great time for devotion and

personal piety. This is a great
opportunity to pray the stations of
the cross and meditate on the
Lord’s passion.

 Lent is a great opportunity to go

on a retreat. Contact your local
diocese and find out what retreats
are taking place in your diocese.
Invite others to come along.
 Resources online
 TheU.S. Bishops’ conference has
great online resources for this Lenten
season.

 Their link is:

http://www.usccb.org/lent/
 Thomas Merton’s Prayer
MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think
that I am following your will does not mean that I am
actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in
fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that
desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the
right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem
to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will
never leave me to face my perils alone.

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The end