Religious Education News - Carmel Rheinberger
WHAT IS LENT?
The season of Lent is a Catholic liturgical season consisting of forty days of fasting, prayer, and penitence beginning at Ash Wednesday and concluding at sundown on Holy Thursday. The official liturgical colour for the season of Lent is violet/purple. The observance of Lent is related to the celebration of Easter. In the first three centuries of the Christian era, most Christians prepared for Easter by fasting and praying for three days. In some places this was extended to the entire week before Easter (now known as “Holy Week”). The word Lent derives from the Middle English word lenten, meaning springtime – the time of lengthening days.
Given the many challenges facing today’s families, now is the perfect time and home is the perfect place to experience Lent. After all, home is where we rush and rest, where we hope and worry, where we love and forgive. It is home where we most often experience day-to-day salvation. Lenten experiences can take place in nearly every room of the house.
The following is a link to a calendar of ideas for Lent that are easy to accomplish and relate to our daily lives. For example, fast from taking second helpings at one meal.