Lent

LENTEN CALENDAR 2018

Lent is a time when we take some time to stop and reflect as we prepare for Easter. During the forty days we focus on keeping Christ at the heart of all our words and actions. We consider how we can become better people by trying to do things well and even giving up doing things that are poor choices so that we become people of peace, hope and love.

The 2018 Lenten Calendar has ideas for each of the days of Lent. Families can use this calendar tofocus on preparing for Easter.

For the first week of Lent….

Thursday 15 February                            Try your best to listen to your teacher

Friday 16 February                                  Accept that we all make mistakes and we use what we have learnt to help us

Saturday 17 February                             Earn a coin for Project Compassion. Think of a job that you can do for this.

First Sunday of Lent

Sunday 18 February                                Bring a friend to Mass

Monday 19 February                              Draw or write a loving note to someone in your family

Tuesday 20 February                              Play peacefully with everyone today

Wednesday 21 February                       Forgive someone who has hurt you

Thursday 22 February                            Offer to help a buddy with their class job

Friday 23 February                                  Pray for those who don’t know yet that Jesus loves them

WHAT IS IT TO DO FASTING AND ABSTINENCE?

And, when do I do it?

What does it mean to “fast”?

To fast is to do without food.  Its purpose is to experience the effects of not eating.  It also serves to be a penance or a sacrifice – for the purpose of strengthening us.  When we don’t eat, for even a little while, we get hungry.  When we get hungry, we have a heightened sense of awareness.  If, when we eat too much, we have a sluggish feeling, when we fast, we have a feeling of alertness.  Fasting is a wonderful exercise whenever we want to sincerely ask for an important grace from God.  It is not that our fasting “earns” God’s attention, but by fasting, we clarify our thinking and our feeling.  It is purifying and prepares us to pray more deeply.

When do I fast?

Catholics, as a group, are required to fast on only two days of the year – Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  On these days, fasting means something very specific and limited.  It means that one eats only one full meal in a day, with no food in-between meals.  It is understood that two other meals, if one eats three meals a day, should not total one full meal.  One might fast in a more complete way, i.e., eating only a portion of a single meal.

Of course, anyone is free to fast at any time that it is helpful for their prayer and reflection.  It is not recommended that anyone with impaired health should fast in any way.  It is also important to note that everyone who fasts should drink enough fluids on a fast day.

What does it mean to “abstain”?

To abstain is to not eat meat.  Its purpose is to be an act of penance – an act of sacrifice, that helps us grow in freedom to make much bigger sacrifices.   Of course, it would not make sense to make the sacrifice of not eating meat, and then eat a wonderful meal I might enjoy even more.  Many people eat a vegetarian diet, for a variety of reasons, and eating meat is not even an issue.  It might be possible to abstain from a non-meal that I really like, on all the Fridays of Lent.  It should be noted that many people in this world cannot afford to eat meat or do not have access to it.   Part of our abstaining from meat can place us in solidarity with so many of our sistersand brothers around the world.

When do I abstain?

Catholics, as a group, abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all the Fridays of Lent.
What about “giving up something” for Lent?

When many of us were children, we might remember our giving up candy for Lent.  And, it seemed like a real sacrifice.  As we grew up, it was often more difficult to decide what special thing to do, to make Lent a special season – to get our attention and to prepare ourselves for deeper sacrifices.

What would help me grow in freedom?  That’s the question to ask.  For some of us, it could be, committing ourselves to give up judging others, every single day of Lent.  For others, it could be giving up a badhabit we’ve developed.  For still others, it is obvious what seems to be the important choice for me during Lent.

For many of us, the choice may not be to give something up, but to add something to our daily lives during Lent.  We may commit ourselves to extra prayer time.  We may decide to do some service to the poor, once a week during Lent.  We may choose to increase our almsgiving to the poor – perhaps related to something we choose not to do, e.g., some might choose not to go out to eat one night a week, and to give that total amount to thepoor.

Whether it is fasting, abstaining or other acts of penance, the whole desire we should have is to use these means to help us grow closer to our Lord and prepare ourselves “to celebrate the paschal mystery with minds and hearts renewed.”  (First Preface of Lent)

May our Lord bless us all on this journey ahead.

Students will bring home a Project Compassion box and/or a set of donation envelopes and support Caritas Australia during Lent.  This year the theme is “A Just Future” and celebrated the Year of Youth.

As Pope Francis said, “Cultivate with love the seeds of goodness, beauty and truth that God sows in every new generation.”

Through your generosity during Project Compassion this year, you are empowering young people to build a just future for themselves, their families and their communities.  A Just Future starts with your support! You can also make a donation by visiting www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion or phoning 1800 024 413.