Wednesday 9 April 2014

Readings for Wednesday 9 April 2014
Dn 3:14-20, 24-25, 28. Ps Dn 3:52-56, R/ v 52. Jn 8:31-42.  www.catholicbishops.ie/readings

40 days in the desert

Pope Francis on Twitter 
“We need to rediscover a contemplative spirit, so that the love of God may warm our hearts.”

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Excerpt from Evangelii Gaudium The Joy of the Gospel

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“We do well to keep in mind the early Christians and our many brothers and sisters throughout history who were filled with joy, unflagging courage and zeal in proclaiming the Gospel. Some people nowadays console themselves by saying that things are not as easy as they used to be, yet we know that the Roman empire was not conducive to the Gospel message, the struggle for justice, or the defence of human dignity. Every period of history is marked by the presence of human weakness, self-absorption, complacency and selfishness, to say nothing of the concupiscence which preys upon us all. These things are ever present under one guise or another; they are due to our human limits rather than particular situations. Let us not say, then, that things are harder today; they are simply different. But let us learn also from the saints who have gone before us, who confronted the difficulties of their own day. So I propose that we pause to rediscover some of the reasons which can help us to imitate them today.” – Evangelii Gaudium 263

Video: Bishop William Crean on Trócaire and Lent 2014 

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Bishop William Crean reflects on his meeting with Enestina, the young person from Malawi, who is featured on this year’s Trócaire box. Click here to access the video.

Archdiocese of Dublin Living Lent 

keeping a holy lent

See how parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin are Living Lent this year. Click here for more information.

Veritas – Sacred Space for Lent 2014 

sacred space

A trusted daily Lenten prayer resource, the eighth annual Sacred Space for Lent 2014 is drawn from the wildly popular Jesuit website sacredspace.ie and the bestselling series of Sacred Space books. It is the engaging, life-filled companion Christians desire for their Lenten journey. For more information see www.veritas.ie.

Daily Lenten Prayers
(i) We pray that Ireland and its people may always treasure their Christian heritage.

(ii) Blessed are you, Lord,
God of all creation,
Blessed are you Lord,
God of the spring.
Blessed are you, Lord,
God of everything.

Source: Alive O

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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.