A Prayer for Lent
O gracious Master, infuse in our hearts the spotless light of Your Divine Wisdom and open the eyes of our mind that we may understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, so that having curbed all carnal desires, we may lead a spiritual life, both thinking and doing everything to please You. For You, O Christ, our God, are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies; and to You we render glory, together with Your eternal Father, and with Your all holy, life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.
Amen
The Season of Lent
‘Who is the King of your heart?’ Is it social media, material possessions, wealth…JESUS? This Wednesday, we will enter the season of Lent which calls us to ask ourselves this very question. We will place ashes on our forehead as a reminder of our intent to die to our worldly desires and live even more in Christ’s image. The Prophet Jeremiah reminds us of this necessity:
The Lord says this:
‘A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, Z
who relies on things of flesh,
whose heart turns from the Lord.
He is like dry scrub in the wastelands:
if good comes, he has no eyes for it,
he settles in the parched places of the wilderness,
a salt land, uninhabited.‘
‘A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord,
with the Lord for his hope.
He is like a tree by the waterside
that thrusts its roots to the stream:
when the heat comes it feels no alarm,
its foliage stays green;
it has no worries in a year of drought,
and never ceases to bear fruit.’
How can we make Jesus ‘The King of our heart?’ The Church encourages us to engage in a variety of practices: prayer - attending Mass and the sacrament of reconciliation, reading the bible, participating in the Stations of the Cross; self-denial - not eating meat, not eating sweets or dessert, giving up entertainment; refraining from gossiping; Almsgiving - special attention to those who are vulnerable in society such as the poor, sick, elderly, lonely or overburdened. These ‘pillars’ of lent can aide us in growing closer to Jesus. There are also many great resources that can assist us in our spiritual journey which I encourage you to explore:
Hallow App (Catholic Prayer & Meditation App)
Laudate Prayer App (ios & android)
10 Ways To Make A Pilgrimage This Lent Without Leaving Home (Article)
Best Lent Ever (practical and inspiring videos)
Bruce Downs The Catholic Guy (short, practical and inspiring videos)
Let us pray that as we journey through the Season of Lent and approach Easter that we will open our hearts to Christ.
Friday 8:00am Mass – St Catherine of Siena Parish Church
Students, parents and their families are invited to attend 8:00am morning Mass.
Friday’s during Term 1
8:00 – 8:25am
St Catherine of Siena Parish, Caroline Springs.
The Eucharist allows us the opportunity to receive so many graces from God. Strength, forgiveness and hope are some of these graces we receive. However, the most important is growing in a deeper love for Christ from receiving him in the Eucharist. It is a wonderful opportunity to spend some time in silence and prayer and move our focus away from ourselves and on things we may need to work to allow Christ to reign in our hearts.