LENT: A TIME FOR LOVING SACRIFICE
Reader:After the Last Supper,
Jesus went to a garden to pray.
Soldiers came and led Jesus away to prison.
The next day Jesus had to carry a big cross
up the hill to Calvary.
Jesus was nailed to the cross.
Some people made fun of him.
People:If you are the King of the Jews,
come down from the cross.
Save yourself!
Reader:At noon the sun stopped shining.
It grew very dark.
Jesus prayed for those who hurt him.
Jesus:Father, forgive them.
They do not know what they are doing.
Reader:At about three o'clock,
Jesus spoke to his Father.
Jesus:Father, it is finished.
I give myself to you.
Reader:Then Jesus bowed his head and died.
Jesus offered the sacrifice of his life for us.
Jesus showed his great love for his Father
and for us.
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead.
He won a victory over sin and death.
We can live forever in heaven with him.
MAKING SACRIFICES DURING LENT
AT HOME AND WITH YOUR FAMILY
- Ask before you borrow someone else's things.
- Wash your hands before coming to the table to eat.
- Put away your clothes instead of letting them lie around.
- Take good care of your pet.
- Keep your radio soft enough so it doesn't bother others.
- ______
- ______
AT SCHOOL
Don't cheat. (No copying or asking other people for answers.)
Don't say ugly things about any of your classmates.
Help keep the world beautiful; don't litter.
Don't laugh when someone makes a mistake.
Don't make fun of people who are different from you.
______
______
IN YOUR HEART, WITH YOURSELF
Pray that God will bless each person in your family.
Ask Mary, God's Mother to help you in your schoolwork.
Pray for priests and religious you know. They have worries, too.
If you hear aplane or jet fly by, pray it will land safely.
Read in the Bible about Jesus for ten minutes today.
______
______
OTHER PRACTICES
Avoid people or places that could make you do wrong things.
Offer to help a senior citizen.
Offer to show someone how to do a thing that you know how to do well.
Share something with someone today.
Send a card or letter to someone.
______
______
PATH TO EASTER
For each day that you do one of the activities,
colour one of the stepping stones
on this Lenten path to Easter.
Colour the crosses on Sundays.
Ash Wednesday
TURN
AWAY
FROM SIN
AND
BE
FAITHFUL
TO THE
GOSPEL
A FAMILY PRAYER TIME FOR LENT
Leader:Let us open our hearts to the Spirit of Jesus
who is with us at this time. (Pause)
Let us pray together from Psalm 130.
All:With all my heart I am waiting, Lord, for you!
I trust your promises.
I wait more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty
waits for the dawn.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Leader:Listen carefully to the Word of God as written
by St Paul to the Galatians (5:13).
Reader:My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want.
Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.
The Word of God.
All:Thanks be to God. (Pause for reflection.)
Leader:Let us pray together
All:O loving God,
You gave us this earth as our home, and you want us to share its resources to be used for the good of all people.
Teach us to share our talents, our love and our goods
with those in our own family and with all
who are in special need of our care.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader:Let us go now with God's blessing.
All: In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.