Readings for Saturday 15 March 2014 (First Week of Lent)
Deut 26:16-19. Ps 118:1-2, 4-5, 7-8, R/ v 1. Mt 5:43-48. www.catholicbishops.ie/readings
The Lord Jesus, the divine Teacher and Model of all perfection, preached holiness of life to each and every one of his disciples of every condition. He himself stands as the author and consummator of this holiness of life (Lumen gentium, 40).
Pope Francis on Twitter
“The Eucharist is essential for us: it is Christ who wishes to enter our lives and fill us with his grace.” – Pope Francis
Pope Francis Message for Lent 2014
When Jesus stepped into the waters of the Jordan and was baptized by John the Baptist, he did so not because he was in need of repentance, or conversion; he did it to be among people who need forgiveness, among us sinners, and to take upon himself the burden of our sins. In this way he chose to comfort us, to save us, to free us from our misery. It is striking that the Apostle states that we were set free, not by Christ’s riches but by his poverty. Yet Saint Paul is well aware of the “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8), that he is “heir of all things” (Heb 1:2).
Click here to read the full text.
Pope Francis’ Lenten Retreat
“Man is like a pomegranate: inside he contains many tiny fleshy seeds, like the many elements of creation. God mixed them all together and breathed into them the breath of life. ” – Msgr Angelo De Donatis, preacher at the papal retreat offered this image of man’s creation, at the opening of day three of Pope Francis’ Lenten retreat with members of the Roman Curia.
Music
Taizé – Bless the Lord Music: Jacques Berthier
Click here to listen.
Lyrics:
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. (Ps 104,1)
The girl on this year’s Trócaire’s Box
Click here to read her story and please bring home a Trócaire box this Lent.
Daily Lenten Prayers
(i) We pray for the people of this country;
may all people work together to overcome this economic
recession and build a more equal and just society
at home and abroad.
(ii) We pray for those who have gone before us
marked with the sign of faith;
that they may enjoy the heavenly banquet
with the angels and saints in heaven.
Resources on the Vatican website for Lent 2014
The Vatican is collating all the resources for Lent 2014 on a special link on the home page of www.vatican.va. It includes the catechesis, addresses and homilies of the Holy Father, information on liturgical events and video and other multimedia content. Click here to access it.
The Meaning of Lent
The English word ‘Lent’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Lencten, meaning ‘Spring’. In other languages the word comes from the Latin, Quadragesima – a period of 40 days. In the Christian tradition the forty days is understood to refer to a time of intense prayer and preparation; we remember the biblical stories of Noah and the flood of 40 days, the forty years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness and Christ’s forty day fast in the desert in preparation for his earthly ministry.
