•a 40-day period before Easter

begins on Ash Wed. ( - Sun.s = Resurrection)

ends at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper

on Holy ThursdayHOLY WEEK starts on

Palm/ Passion Sun. the week before Easter

Sun.

LENT+ Prayer (God)+ Fasting (Self)+ Alms-giving(Others)

Chrism Mass

Mass of theLord’s Supper

Service

Vene-ration of the Cross

Vigil

Mass(Bap-Tism)

ASHWED Passion

Sun (Palm Sun)

HolyThursday

GoodFriday

HolySat

Holy week

PERIOD OF LENTThe number "40"

has always had special spiritual significance

regarding a period of: Testing, Trial, God’s JudgmentProbation, Preparation

it is forty weeks that a woman carries her developing baby before a new life can come forth from the womb. 

All these “forties” are a necessary and not-so-comfortable prelude for something new. 

PERIOD OF LENT

*It rained for 40 days & nights when God wanted to cleanse

the world and start over:Gen 7:12

*Israel wandered for 40 years in the desert: Deut 8:2,4

* Moses stayed on Mt Sinai for 40 days/nights:

Ex 24:18

PERIOD OF LENT

*Elijah walked for 40 days/nights to Mt Horeb: 1 Kg 19:8

* God, through the prophecy of judgment by Jonah

gave the city of Nineveh 40 days to repent:

Jonah 3:4

* Christ fasted(was tempted)40 days and 40

nights in the desert: Mt

4:1-2

WHY IS IT CALLED LENT?

-- derives from the Germanic root for "Spring" -- an old English word

lengthen comes from the “lengthening” of daylight hours as we progress from the darkness of winter to

the new light of spring

WHY IS IT CALLED LENT?

In Latin, Lent is quadragesima which means forty days

In Greek, it is tessarakoste

which means fortieth

"The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent --

the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it,

and penance -- should be given greater emphasis

in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis. It is by means of them

that the Church prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter,

while they hear God's word more frequently and devote

more time to prayer" (no. 109).The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II

Purple (or violet) symbolises repentance and penance. It reminds us of the violet flower that bows its head

and is a symbol of humility.

Also associated with royaltyJesus is dressed in a purple robe and mocked as king of the Jews. Violet reminds us that Jesus our King suffered, died, and resurrected for us. 

LITURGICAL COLOUR OF LENT

REPENT RECONCILE

REJECT/RENOUNCE

RECEIVERENEW

REJOICE

3 PILLARS OF LENT The 3-fold acts during Lent are •Prayer (Mt 6:5-6) •Fasting (Mt 6:16-18)•Almsgiving (Mt 6:2-4)-- not practised in order to be seen by people (Mt 6:1)

-- penance for repentance and goodwill towards others.

“We must trust in the mighty power of God’s mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new.”The final twitter message by Pope Benedict XVI before he announced his resignation. It provides us with an apt summary of the

central message of Lent.

• The Church requires fasting and abstinence as signs of repentance.

• Repentance means to turn away from sin and turn back to God.

• FASTING – one full meal and two half meals.

• 1) Ash Wednesday • 2) Good Friday • All Catholics age 18 to 59, except those

who have a legitimate need to eat a normal meal, e.g.- the sick or infirm- pregnant or nursing women- some manual labourers.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS STATIONS OF THE CROSS

-- a way to pray/ meditate on Christ's sacrifice --- divided into 14 stations from the time He was condemned to his burial. -- a devotion has been long encouraged by the church, especially during Lent & Good Friday.-- was developed during the Crusades when the knights and pilgrims began to follow the route of Christ's way to Calvary. -- devotion spread throughout Europe and was promulgated by the Franciscan friars in the 14th and 15th centuries

LENT IS A TIMEthrough personal study, meditation and prayer, to...

• remember God's gift of love and grace for us through Jesus

Christ.

•reflect on Jesus' crucifixion and his sacrifice of his life for us.

•examine our personal lives, gain spiritual insight into our problems and needs.

• confess our sins, repent and seek forgiveness, and to forgive others.• reflect on the meaning of

sacrifice and to

experience it in a personal way by giving up

•desire God's will and direction in living healthy, holy

lives.

•seek spiritual growth, healing and renewal.

•strengthen our faith and commitment in our daily walk with Jesus Christ.

•lead us from the darkness of the tomb into the glorious light of Christ's resurrection!

Our Lenten gaze is often interior, often turned toward

the unsettling weakness of our own hearts, towards our personal failures

to be who we want to be. None of us,

in approaching any Lent, is unaware of the gap between

God's hopes for us and our feeble realization of the gift of creation.

Our attention is necessarily turned,

also to communal and social sin,to the structural and corporate,

even conspiratorial, aspects of our sinfulness.

SolitudeSelf-examination

SorrowSacrificesService

Self-emptying“Spring”

1 TEMPTATION2 TRANSFIGURATION3 TEMPLE4 TRUTH5 TIME OF JUDGEMENT6 TRIUMPH

TEMPTATION: 1st SUNDAY IN LENT

Genesis 9:8-17: God’s everlasting covenant of peace with Noah

1 Peter 3:18-22: Noah/family savedby Ark - We are saved by Baptism

Mark 1:9-15: Jesus is led into the Desert to be tempted by the devil

“The reign of God is at hand”

TRANSFIGURATION2nd SUNDAY IN LENT

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16: Abraham’s Sacrifices son; God rewards

Romans 4:13-25: Like Abraham God did not spare his own son

Mark 8:31-38: Transfiguration &1st Announcement of his death

and resurrection

TEMPLE3 SUNDAY IN LENT

Exo 20:1-17: 10 commandments

2 Cor 1:18-25: Christ crucified –The wisdom and power of God

John 2:13-22: Jesus cleanses the Temple; Announces

its destruction/rebuilding Applies it to his own body

TRUTH4th SUNDAY IN LENT

Num 21:4-9: Destruction of Jerusalemas a result of sin; King of Persia

frees Israelites fromexile and rebuilds temple

Eph 2:1-10: God rich in mercy

John 3:14-21: God so loved the world; Moses, bronze serpent

Jesus -- lifted up

TIME OF JUDGMENT5TH SUNDAY IN LENT

Jer 31:31-34: New covenant inscribed upon the heart

Heb 5:5-10: Jesus prayed with loud cries

John 12:20-33: Jesus troubled. He prayed; The Father promised

to glorify Him

TRIUMPHANT6TH SUNDAY IN LENT

PALM /PASSION SUN.)

Mark 11:1-11: (Procession)

Isaiah 50:4-9a: Suffering Servant

Phil 2:5-11: Jesus Emptied Himself

Mark 14 & 15: Passion by Mark; Climax Confession

= SON OF GOD

1 TEMPTATION2 TRANSFIGURATION

3 TEMPLE4 TRUTH

5 TIME OF JUDGEMENT6 TRIUMPH