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Showing posts with the label Lent

Lenten Travels = #SmallSuccess

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Success #1   Returned home - safe and sound - and healthy from my business trip to Washington, DC.  While there for the  Napa Institute 's Human Ecology conference on the campus Catholic University of America - I learned: All about Uber (as the Metro was down while I was there);  $1500 a night hotel rooms are WAY better than $400 a night hotel rooms (our reservations were given away by the Days Inn so they had to put us up at a Marriott for one night - it was nice albeit very inconvenient at midnight)!; Planes travel 'wicked fast' when there are only 11 people on board with no stowed luggage! (except the one bag my traveling companion, Jennifer Longworth had with our  Breadbox Media  swag in it!). Success #2  Jennifer and I were able to spend some time in the  Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception  in Washington, DC at the end of the first night of the conference.  ...   read more  ...  All Rights Reserved, Allison Gingras 2016

What is the Purpose of Your Lent?

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What is the purpose of your Lent? Is it to test your self-control? Is it to challenge yourself to a duel of fuel limits? Is it just a game between you and sugar, or you and grains, or caffeine, or butter?  Is it a wound, or just a bloody finger (#gross?) ? Or is it more? Does it affect your prayer life? Lately, I've been thinking that Lent is whole lot like sheep shearing. The sheep go into the shearer's hands, and they are probably a bit of a mess. They may have spots of dried mud, some briars or burrs, and definitely some mats in their lovely white wool.  They get into spots of trouble, when, all is interrupted, like little drunk lambs happily playing on a spring green pasture on a lovely, warm, sunny day.  But all it takes is some shears, and they emerge from the hands of the shearer, their wool is shorter, with a freshness and sheen that's enviable. .... read the rest at Picture a  Skyline 

The Messiah We Need

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Tiberius was Rome's absentee emperor around the time the Han Dynasty was getting back to business-as-usual, after Wang Mang 's brief takeover. I mentioned him before: Wang Mang, I mean. ( December 27, 2015 ) Meanwhile, Phaedrus was retelling Aesop's Fables in Latin, and Pontius Pīlātus was prefect of the Roman Province of Judea . That part of the world had been under Roman control since the Battle of Philippi , Armenia wasn't a Roman province yet, but it wasn't the force it had been during Tigranes ' reign, and that's another topic. Tigranes, Tiberius, and Wang Mang, were well-known folks in their day; 1 at least in their homelands. Two millennia later, not so much. Pontius Pīlātus is another matter. He's mentioned each year around this time, when something like 2,000,000,000 folks pay at least fleeting attention to a Nazarene's progress from top-of-the-polls celebrity to executed corpse. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

'From now on do not sin again.' Sunday Reflections, 5th Sunday of Lent, Year C

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From The Gospel of John (2003) directed by Philip Saville Gospel John 8:1-11 (NRSV, Catholic Edition, Canada)  Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus

Lenten Exercise for Children

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How's Lent going? We're coming up to the Fourth Sunday of Lent: Laetare ("Be joyful!") Sunday. Just a bit past the halfway mark in Lent, this rose-colored celebration encourages us to stay faithful to our fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. Here at the Apostleship of Prayer , of course, our favorite part of that Lenten trifecta is prayer. Our mission is to encourage children to cultivate vibrant, personal prayer lives of their own. The spiritual giant Romano Guardini warned against "empty reciting" in prayer, so the Apostleship of Prayer encourages ways of praying that will grow with young people as they mature. ©2015 APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER One of my favorite resources for children in 3rd through 7th grade is our " 3 for 3 Prayer Experiment ." It challenges students to observe three deliberate times of prayer each day for three days, and then reflect on the results. Perfect for a middle-of-Lent prayer boost! Join me at Praying with Grac

'Let it alone for one more year . . .' Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C

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Moses before the Burning Bush ,  Domenico Fetti, 1613-14 Gospel   Luke 13:1-9  ( NRSV, Catholic Edition , Can.)  At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.   He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?   No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.   Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think  that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?   No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.   So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting

A FAST Improvement

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The last time I shared what I 'gave up' for Lent, I was severely chastised.  The person was horrified that I would seek glory for my Lenten sacrifice instead of doing it in secret where only God and I would know.  This made me sad - as it was not at all my intent.  Sharing our Lenten sacrifices, our fasts, instead allow us to do several things: Encouragement for each other .  Fasting is hard work - and we can get discouraged.  It is good to know how others are celebrating this season - it is not so much misery loves company but for me anyway.  I think more of the scripture that states a chord of 3 is not easily broken.  Accountability .  This is probably my greatest catalyst for blogging about and sharing with others my Lenten fasts.  If it is just between God and I, while that should surely be enough to keep me on track, often it is not.  I need those extra eyes on my behavior - to be sure I'm not sneaking TV apart from Sundays, or spending money (if you read Mond

'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!' Sunday Reflections, 2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C

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Transfiguration , Fra Angelico, 1440-42 Gospel Luke 9:28B-36 (NRSV, Catholic Edition, Can.) Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When th

Free Lenten Resources

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We are one week into Lent.  How is it going for you so far?  Have you broken your fast promises?  Are you doing great at avoiding chocolate but feel like you need some inspiration?  Are you willing to devote just a few minutes a day growing in knowledge and depth of your faith?  This list is for you.  It is not too late to make this a truly remarkable Lent, visit Veils and Vocations for more information.

Training, Lent, and Me

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(From Wereldburger758, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) Lent is a time for me to improve myself, right? That will be a by-product of what I do, but — no. Lent isn't about me. It's like the rest of the annual cycle of Advent, Lent Easter: we're reviewing and, in a sense, re-living what our Lord did, two millennia back now. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1095 ) Lent is when we join Jesus in the desert. Sort of. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ Sunday Reflections, 1st Sunday of Lent, Year C

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Three Temptations of Christ (detail) , Botticelli, 1481-82 .Sistine Chapel,Vatican  Gospel Luke 4:1-13 (NRSV, Catholic Edition, Can.) Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of

Four things to do this Lent

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What are you doing for Lent? Every year I try to do something a little different to make my Lenten experience more meaningful. This year, I decided  I was going to get fit  and I returned to an exercise routine I had given up. I know that doesn’t sound very spiritual, but when I feel better physically, it does help my prayer life. You can read the rest at Catholic365 .

No Other Road

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(from The Breadbox Letters)

Lent: But What Does GOD Want From Us ?

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Often we tend to think of Lent as a time to share in the suffering of Christ yet when we do so, we become morose and end up centering more on our own sacrificial devotions than on God. Lent  is  a time to get rid of the flub in our lives but only so we are able to connect more to the Heart of our Beloved, more on the people around us who are in need. Lent is not an excuse for dramatic acts of fasting  by wearing sackcloth and ashes, figuratively or literally. As Isaiah says: Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance: That a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? continue reading

Seek Virtue This Lent!

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Rather than giving up chocolate, only to devour the solid chocolate Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday, seek virtue this Lent. Rather than giving up drinking alcohol, only to pop the cork on the Champagne this Easter Sunday, seek virtue this Lent. Rather than giving up television, only to sit in front of the TV all day Easter Sunday watching your shows on demand, seek virtue this Lent. So many times, year after year, we temporarily give up something we love as a sacrifice for Lent in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. I suggest taking a different and possibly more... Read more...  

Lord, Have Mercy on My Lent

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Have you READ this little gem yet? My Lent will never be the same. Join me at Praying with Grace to hear why this book can transform Lent. Also, free printable!

Lent, Faith, and Ashes

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(From U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian May, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Ash Wednesday celebration aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp .) Ash Wednesday comes this week, so I'll get ashes on my forehead and start doing my Lenten routines — along with folks around the world. That won't include the usual fasting: I'm past the 18-to-59 age requirement for Catholics in my region, and diabetic to boot . We're called to holiness, not stupidity; common sense applies, or should; and I'm putting a 'resources' link list at the end of this post. 1 More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The Meaning of Repentance, Sacrifice and Fasting in Lent

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Lent is around the corner again. My Facebook feed has been full of discussions about Lent and articles with this, that or the other Lenten recommendation. It’s amazing how many ways there are to “live Lent”. And each way has both die-hard supporters who see the spiritual value of that particular path through Lent, and critics who see the potential pitfalls. For an example of what I mean, take a look at  an article Simcha Fisher wrote a few years ago  – I think she did a pretty good job of showing some common approaches to Lent and the very real benefits and potential drawbacks of each. I don’t think there’s one “right” way, or even “best” way of living Lent. I believe there are as many ways of living Lent as there are people. Although we often approach Lent programmatically, I prefer to see it as a journey, or dialogue between the soul and God. A dialogue is hard to copy or recreate, because it depends largely on the heart and mind of the people involved. A dialogue can have a

What are you doing for Lent? I'm getting fit!

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What are you doing for Lent?  I'm getting fit!  Every Lent I look for a new experience and this year I decided to focus on my health. I'm at the age where my rock star idols are  dying in bulk .  Though I'm in good health now, as I approach my 64th birthday, I think about my immortality just a little bit more. You can read the article and view the photo gallery at Being Catholic ... Really .

How Can You Excel This Lent? #ExcelLent

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We know that Lent is a time for praying, fasting and giving.  However, those three words have a multitude of meanings for each of us. What I have come to realize as I peruse the plethora of ideas on what to do for Lent  that can be found online and in print, is  that what makes for a meaningful Lent for me, may not have as much, or  any, meaning for you.      We are each uniquely and wonderfully made by our God.  And we are each called in unique and wonderful ways to serve Him. So how can you excel this Lent?     I don't have any new ideas that haven't already been shared.  What I do have are some suggestions to help you discern what you could  do this Lent:  Be authentic .   Don't compare yourself to what others are doing in their Lenten journey.  If giving up one simple thing (sodas, chocolate, meat, etc.)  is what works in your life and allows you to more deeply enter into this season, then do not judge yourself harshly because your friends are giving up something which