The start of our lentern journey

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.

Ash Wednesday

In the liturgical practice, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the catechumens (one of the sacred oils) used to anoint those about to be baptized)

This paste is used by the Fr. John who makes the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on those of the congregation.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive only ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, our lord is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday the start of Lent

Receive Lent withgladness, O people!

The Holy Spirit willtake up his home inYou and your soulswill be filled withhis Light.

Ash WednesdayHave mercy on me O Lord.

Renew a new sprit within me.

Create in me a clean heart O God.

Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

God be merciful to me a sinner.

Get involved

Lent and the JourneyThe concept of Lent is one

of the oldest in Christendom.

In the very early Church the bishop of Alexandria announced at Epiphany the date for Easter, which determined the feasts and fasts for the major festivals of the year, including the beginning of Lent, which is a forty day fast.

Lent our journey Joy is at the heart ofeverything in the Christianlife and Lent is no exception.

So Let us enter the Fast withjoy, O faithful.

Let us not be sad, let us cleanse our faces with watersOf dispassion, blessing andexalting Christ forever.

Lent and our JourneyMost of us have grown up

thinking that Lent is a time when we deny ourselves something we like very much, spend more time in prayer, and live charitably.

Or perhaps we have thought that Lent is our time for imitating the forty days and nights that our Lord spent in the wilderness.

Yes it is important, that we maintain a purposeful, prayerful, and penitential Lent spiritually, and an outreaching, sharing, and compassionate Lent practically.

LentYet all of these are but means,

and should be seen as aids on our journey towards the great Easter Vigil, preceded by the other two great Liturgies for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

We therefore have to be conscious that all we do during Lent is our preparation for the death and resurrection of our dear Lord, and our sharing in those in our own lives as it is proclaimed in the liturgies.

LentWhen we examine the

Lenten liturgy we discover that there are three related themes: penitence and self-denial, baptism and the Lord's passion.

By looking at the readings from Ash Wednesday to the end of the second week of Lent we discover that the main theme is repentance and self-denial.

Lent our JourneyA little of the history of the keeping of

Lent and how it came together!From the earliest days of Christianity the

paschal mystery has been the essence of both the Church's worship and doctrine.

There are fragments of this in some of St Paul's epistles. F or example in the first letter to the Corinthians we read:

The tradition I handed on to you in the first place, a tradition which I had myself receive was that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried; and that on the third day, he was raised to life, in accordance with the scriptures.

Our Journey through Lent

Giving something up for Lent• Give up a TV show and spend that time praying or helping a family member or friends.•Give up something you enjoy once a week like snacks or sweets and donate the money to your collection box.•Give up going to a movie or another fun activity and donate the money from this activity to your lent box.•Think about a bad habit you would like to change, like telling a lie, getting angry, putting people down, and choose to avoid that habit and do something positive instead.•Think about someone you are angry with or who has hurt you and ask God to give you the courage to forgive and pray for them.•Share lots of smiles and be happy each day.•Give a hug to everyone in your family.•Compliment people in your family and friends.•Give up complaining, frowns, and negative thoughts.•Spend more time at Church and in prayers

Our Journey through Lent

Lent is your Journey with Jesus

Jesus and his Journey for us!

Will you now walk this Lentern path with me?