Lent

• Trocaire Resources
• Gospels of Lent
• Lent Books
• Other Resources

An ancient observation, the Season of Lent has a rich heritage and has found new meanings in different ages. The Lenten Journey is a journey inward - to seek out our own motivations and test our values against the Gospel. The outward journey is in the change of practice that accompanies our reflection as we move towards acceptance of the reality of discipleship, the Cross and the reward of Easter.

It is sometimes proposed that the Sundays are not days of Lent. They are. The Season is not turned on and off, but the Sundays offer major signposts to us on our Lenten journey. We remain in spirit with Jesus in the desert, trying to remain in a greater state of awareness and prayer than may be usual for us. Ash Wednesday begins the first phase of the season in preparation for tech forty continuous days which begin on the First Sunday of Lent. The readings and prayers of these first days call to mind the Lenten endeavour. The 1969 General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar remind us that

From the time of the Fathers, as the sermons of Saint Leo the Great mention, the forty days of Lent were counted from the First Sunday of Lent until Holy Thursday. The Roman Missal and Breviary have kept this practice until the present time.

The season properly begins on the First Sunday and the forty days include the Sundays, which are at once days of the Season and days of celebration of the Easter mystery. The First Sunday of Lent is traditionally a day for the Rite of Election and and attention to the Penitential Rite.

We try to retain a continuous attentiveness to penance and fasting from the First Sunday until the day before the Fifth Sunday, at which time we introduce the Passion of Christ to our reflection. This attention becomes all the more focussed during Holy Week.

If you begin on the First Sunday in Lent and count to forty, you arrive at Holy Thursday, on which day the Triduum begins. The 'Three Days' last from Thursday to Easter Sunday's Vigil.

Older people, trained in a legal approach to Lent, are called to respond generously to God's love while younger generations are presented with a challenge to act against evil. We are all asked to attend to prayer, fasting and to the giving of alms.

The ways of counting days and the when does Lent begin question are helpful in surfacing ideas of legalism or minimalism as people "What's the least we can do?" Call attention to the Spirit that drew Jesus into the desert, the desire to find and follow God's plan.

This would be a suitable time to discuss Penance and Denial - what does it mean to recognise that we may be better for not having everything? Cén fáth a úsaidtear an tearma 'díseart'? Why would anyone willingly exclude themselves from what they admit is good?

The Church invites people to lay aside what is good so that better appreciation of the gifts we enjoy might develop. We can learn more clearly what we rely on and what controls and informs our decision-making. Flowers and decorations in churches are avoided, so that they may better be appreciated at Easter. The word of rejoicing, Alleluia, is not used during the forty days until it bursts forth at the Easter Vigil. The practice of hiding or burying the Alleluia is a way of drawing children's attention to this, as the word is put away as something precious.

Lent Worksheet
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Macromedia Flash (SWF)

• First to Fourth Classes
  The children will enjoy the activity of colouring in. Encourage them to reflect on the good they have already done and encourage them to imagine how they might act in a considerate way.
• Fifth and Sixth Classes
  Children could complete their own ‘cross of crosses’ recording deeds which are significant to them, even if not described above. The Prayer to the Holy Spirit might be used in reflecting on this activity.

Trócaire

The Trócaire material has been sent to all schools. Stories, activities, worksheets and texts are provided to support this year’s campaign focus. This year's resources are presented in two booklets - one for Junior Infants to Second and one for Third to Sixth Classes. Included with the Primary School Teacher’s Resource are posters and an Irish version of the Trócaire box. An Irish version of the resources is also available

Trócaire
Teachers of Senior Classes may find useful material at Trócaire’s CSPE web site.(Civic, Social and Political Education is a subject on the Junior Certificate programme). See Trócaire's CSPE (Community Social and Political Education) Site.

The Gospels of Lent

This year's Sunday Cycle is from Mark. The archetypical Lenten Gospels are found in Matthew's Gospel and may be used. The Gospels of Lent reflect on key elements of Christian life and are used on the path of initiation of adults into the life of the Church.

To find the text of the readings, these sites may be of value;

• Readings and Psalms for this Month
• Bible Gateway
• Universalis

Other Resources

Teachers of Alive-O4 may wish to use some of the lessons from Term 3 at this time.
The following lessons tell the stories of Passover and the Crucifixion respectively.
Term 3 Lesson 2 We Celebrate Together
Term 3 Lesson 4 We Celebrate Jesus' Love for Us



Today's Saint

Tip: Have today's Saint displayed daily in Explorer;
1. Copy the address.
2. Goto Explorer
3 . Tools Menu > Internet Options > Paste (Ctrl+V) the into the Address: box Calendar of Saints
http://saints.catholic.org/feastday.htm

Scripture

Cyberfaith Readings with reflection/discussion suggestions

Bible Stories for Children
These are simple pages with a sequence of pictures of the Holy Week events.
The text on most days is a scripture passage and not tied to a Lutheran interpretation.

Lent Resources