LET US PRAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON!
WHAT IS
LENT?
LENT
Lent is 40 days season of penance, fasting,
and prayer beginning on Ash Wednesday
and ending on Holy Saturday. It is a time for
reflection and COMMEMORATION on Jesus'
suffering and death and preparation for his
resurrection.
WHY 40?
Lent's 40 days are a period of reflection and
spiritual preparation for Easter, mirroring
the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and praying
in the desert before his ministry, as
described in the Gospels.
LENT
The word Lent comes from an old English
word meaning “spring,” or “a new birth.”
This time of year helps us to renew our lives
as Catholics and renew our life in Jesus, his
Church, and his Father. on Holy Saturday. It
is a time for reflection on Jesus' suffering
and death and preparation for his
resurrection.
ASH
WEDNESDAY
On Ash Wednesday, ashes made
from palm branches from the
previous year are used to place
crosses on people's foreheads,
reminding them of their mortality
and need for repentance.
In order to be fully immersed in the
Lenten experience, the Church
gives us three extraordinary ways
to draw closer into this mystery
• PRAYER
• FASTING
• ALMSGIVING
PRAYER
Prayer is conversation with God. It is essential for
fasting and almsgiving because prayer gives us the
strength to fast. Pope Francis said, “Lent is a privileged
time for prayer.” In prayer, we draw closer in
relationship with God. Relationship with God makes us
grateful for the blessings we have received. Prayer is the
cornerstone of our Lenten journey and is vital to all of
our actions in life.
FASTING
Fasting and abstinence are old traditions in Christian
history and early Lenten practice.
Found in the Scriptures, they offer a way of growing
closer to God. Pope Francis reminds us, “Fasting makes
sense if it really chips away at our security and, as a
consequence, benefits someone else…”
FASTING
In addition to the above traditional forms, try fasting
from social media, technology, gossip, and excessive
screen time. Fasting reminds us of our hunger for God.
ALMSGIVING
Almsgiving (giving) is a response to God, one that we
can come to through prayer and fasting. It is a way to
live out our gratitude for all that God has given us,
reflecting the realization that we are the Body of Christ,
responsible for each other. Justice, mercy, and charity
are integral elements of our baptism that call us to be
disciples of Jesus.
WHY DO WE
CELEBRATE
LENT?
To commemorate Jesus'
40-day fast in the
wilderness and to focus
on repentance, prayer,
and spiritual growth,
ultimately leading to the
celebration of his
resurrection.
WHAT IS THE
REASON OF
THE
CRUXIFIXION
• Focus on Jesus' Sacrifice:
• Lent reminds Christians of Jesus' suffering and
sacrifice on the cross, and his victory over death
and sin through his resurrection.
SIN
QUESTION
Are you willing to give up your
own life for the sin of others?
LOVE
SOME
PRACTICES
DURING
LENT...
STATIONS OF
THE CROSS
The Stations of the Cross are a 14-
step Catholic devotion that
commemorates Jesus Christ's last
day on Earth as a man. The 14
devotions, or stations, focus on
specific events of His last day,
beginning with His condemnation.
PURPLE COLOR
Purple is the liturgical color
for Lent, symbolizing
penance, repentance, and the
royalty of Christ, as seen in
the Bible when Jesus was
mocked and dressed in a
purple robe before his
crucifixion.
VEILING
During Lent, statues and images
in Catholic churches are veiled
with purple cloths, a practice
rooted in the tradition of
"Passiontide" and the symbolism
of penance and preparation for
the Paschal Mystery, culminating
in the celebration of Easter.
HOLY WEEK
PALM SUNDAY
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of
Lent, the beginning of Holy Week,
and commemorates the triumphant
arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days
before he was crucified.
Palm Sunday is known as such
because the faithful will often
receive palm fronds which they use
to participate in the reenactment of
Christ's arrival in Jerusalem.
PALM SUNDAY
In the Gospels, Jesus entered
Jerusalem riding a young donkey,
and to the lavish praise of the
townspeople who threw clothes, or
possibly palms or small branches, in
front of him as a sign of homage.
This was a customary practice for
people of great respect.
HOLY THURSDAY
The central observance of Holy Thursday is the
ritual reenactment of the Last Supper at Mass.
This event is celebrated at every Mass, as party
of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but it is specially
commemorated on Holy Thursday.
HOLY THURSDAY
He also establishes the special priesthood for his
disciples, which is distinct from the "priesthood
of all believers." Christ washed the feet of his
Disciples, who would become the first priests.
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday is the day on which
Catholics commemorate the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Catholics are joined by almost all
other Christians in solemn
commemoration on this day. It is
also a legal holiday around much
of the world.
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday also commemorates
the death of Jesus Christ. In the
scriptures Jesus was Laid in a
tomb with the help of Joseph
Arimatea a friend of him. Mary
her mother, John, and Mary
Magdalene are witnesses while
he is taken down from the cross.
HOLY SATURDAY
Holy Saturday, Christian religious
observance that ends the Lenten
season, falling on the day before
Easter Sunday. The observance
commemorates the final day of
Christ's death, which many
Christians traditionally associate
with his triumphant descent into
hell or “to the dead”
EASTER SUNDAY
Easter is the celebration of Christ's
resurrection from the dead. It is
celebrated on Sunday, and marks
the end of Holy Week, the end of
Lent, the last day of the Easter
Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good
Friday and Easter Sunday), and is
the beginning of the Easter season
of the liturgical year.
EASTER SUNDAY
As we know from the Gospels, Jesus
Christ rose from the dead on the
third day following his crucifixion,
which would be Sunday. His
resurrection marks the triumph of
good over evil, sin and death. It is
the singular event which proves that
those who trust in God and accept
Christ will be raised from the dead.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
LET US PRAY.
