Lenten Reflection and The Artist's Way

We're coming to the end of the Lenten season.  (Next week begins Holy Week!)

Lent is a time to really look at your life.  When you give something up, your intention should be to give something up (or add something, as I did) in order to strengthen your faith life and be a better person.  And that's what I've been doing.

Shortly before Lent, I started The Artist's Way.  It's a tool for creative people to become "unblocked," and shows creative people how important spirituality (not specifically Christianity) is to the creative life.  When I started it, I didn't really know what to expect.  I didn't think I was blocked.  I thought I had a strong faith/spirituality.

As the weeks progressed, though, I learned that I was blocked.  And I learned that, while my faith was good, it could've been quite a bit better.  I trusted the process and kept going.

As the weeks went on, my creativity was opened up.  I learned more about myself as a writer.  I found my niche.  My writing life has blossomed.  I learned more about myself as a woman of faith.  I grew stronger in my faith, which changed how I lived my life (in a good way).

This has been a good Lent for me.  I feel good about my life and where it's headed.

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, the day in the liturgical calendar commemorating the Passion and Death of Christ on the Cross.

It's not a holy day of obligation, but a day of fasting and abstinence, and the faithful are encouraged to attend liturgy.  No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday, but more of a memorial service during which an account of the Passion is read.

I always have mixed feelings when Good Friday arrives.  There is one part of me that is sad at the crucifixion of Christ, knowing how he was treated in spite of all the good he did during his ministry.  He did nothing wrong, and was persecuted for it.  It calls to mind people all over the world who, even today, are imprisoned and killed because of their faith.

On the other hand, part of me is thankful and joyous because of the sacrifice Christ made willingly for people.  I know many people think of Christ's prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he asks his Father to "let this cup pass."  But immediately after that, he says, "yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39, NASB). [emphasis added]  He trusted the path his Father had set down for him, and was willing to follow that path because he knew the Lord was making a decision out of true love that was best.

I encourage you to read the reflection on Good Friday posted by Modern Catholic Mom.  In it, she compares the denial of Christ by Judas with the denial of Christ by Peter, and ties it nicely in with Christ's infinite forgiveness.  No offense, but there aren't many people I know that would welcome someone back lovingly if that person denied them the way Peter denied Christ.  And yet, even though Peter denied Christ, the Church was built on him.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and weekend, no matter how you celebrate the holiday!

Holy Thursday

Today is the first day of Easter weekend.  Yes, it's only Thursday and usually weekends begin on Friday, but today is Holy Thursday, which is the first day leading up to Easter Sunday.

Until I converted to Catholicism, I didn't know anything about Holy Thursday, much less celebrate it.

Here's what Scott P. Richert says about this day:

Holy Thursday is the day that Christ celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, four days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Only hours after the Last Supper, Judas would betray Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, setting the stage for Christ's Crucifixion on Good Friday.

This feast, however, is more than just the lead-in to Good Friday; it is, in fact, the oldest of the celebrations of Holy Week. And with good reason: Holy Thursday is the day that Catholics commemorate the institution of three pillars of the Catholic Faith: the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the priesthood, and the Mass. During the Last Supper, Christ blessed the bread and wine with the very words that Catholic and Orthodox priests use today to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ during the Mass and the Divine Liturgy. In telling His disciples to "Do this in remembrance of Me," He instituted the Mass and made them the first priests.

Near the end of the Last Supper, after Judas had departed, Christ said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another." The Latin word for "commandment," mandatum became the source for another name for Holy Thursday: Maundy Thursday.

On Holy Thursday, the priests of each diocese gather with their bishop to consecrate holy oils, which are used throughout the year for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. This ancient practice, which goes back to the fifth century, is known as the Chrism Mass ("chrism" is a mixture of oil and balsam used for the holy oils) and stresses the role of the bishop as a successor to the apostles.

Except in very rare circumstances, there is only one Mass other than the Chrism Mass celebrated on Holy Thursday in each church: the Mass of the Lord's Supper, which is celebrated after sundown. It commemorates the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and it ends with the removal of the Body of Christ from the tabernacle in the main body of the church. The Eucharist is carried in procession to another place where it is kept overnight, to be distributed during the commemoration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday. After the procession, the altar is stripped bare, and all bells in the church are silent until the Gloria at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

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Photo source

Holy Week

Yesterday, Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter Sunday.

It's a solemn time for Christians; our minds are on the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross before we can celebrate His resurrection.

Here's a very brief explanation of the days of Holy Week.

Palm Sunday is the celebration of Christ's entry into Jerusalem on an ass.  In the Biblical story, people who witnessed the entry spread palm branches on the road to make the path soft for Christ as he rode.  That's why at Palm Sunday Mass, blessed palm branches are distributed.  Many people tie them into crosses (as my mother-in-law does).  Last year and this year, I picked up a few extra after Mass and made a St. Brigid's Cross with them.

Holy Thursday is remembered as the day of the Last Supper with the disciples.  Only hours later, Jesus was betrayed by Judas.  This day commemorates Holy Communion, and usually ends with the emptying of the tabernacle in the main part of the church.  The consecrated host that's moved to another place overnight is distributed on Good Friday.  After the service, the altar is stripped, and any bells that are normally used are kept silent until Easter Vigil.

Good Friday, a day of fasting and abstinence, commemorates the Passion and death of Jesus.  A full Mass is not celebrated.  Instead, it's more of a memorial service that includes a reading of the Passion of the Lord, prayers are offered, and Holy Communion is distributed.

Holy Saturday commemorates the day Christ laid in the tomb after the Crucifixion.  On this day, Holy Communion is only given to the dying, Masses are forbidden, and the altar remains stripped.

Easter Sunday is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  Where Lent has been a somber time for reflection and introspection, Easter is a celebration.  Usually, the music is joyous, the faithful can once again say and sing "Alleluia," and we celebrate the great gift Christ gave us by His Sacrifice.  And afterward, we all go home to have delicious food and let our children gorge themselves on the chocolate they've probably been denied for their Lenten sacrifices.

This is a serious time for Christians.  As we look ahead to Good Friday and Holy Saturday, we can't help but think of the pain Christ went through for our sake.  But that pain culminates with a great gift, and one that is celebrated joyously.

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Photo source

The Last Week of Lent

Lent seems to have gone by quickly this year.  I know that it's due, in part, to my being busy (and pregnant), but I can still hardly believe it's nearly Easter!  This is the last week of Lent!

This has been a unique Lenten experience for me.  Being pregnant put some limitations on me that I wasn't expecting, and I had to alter my expectations to accommodate.  Overall, though, this has been a very good spiritual time for me.

During this Lenten season I feel I've grown stronger in my faith, and closer to my husband, believe it or not.  He and I have been praying together regularly, and it's become an important part of our relationship.  It's something we're going to continue after Easter, and when Wyatt is born, we're going to add him to our daily prayers, as well.

Part of the point of Lent is self-examination.  We take time to look at who we are in our faith, and how we can be better and stronger Christians on a day-to-day basis.  Regardless of how else we participate in Lent (fasting, abstinence, almsgiving, etc.), we need to take time to evaluate ourselves.

What have you learned about yourself this Lenten season?  What good habits have you developed that you plan to keep after Easter?

Lenten Reflection

I've been doing Lenten reflections on Friday, but this weekend has been a bit strange, so I'm a bitteen behind in my blogging.  So I'm posting today instead.

This week went by so quickly!  It's already mid-March, and Easter will be here before we know it!

This week has been full of prayer.  My husband had a job interview, so he and I have been praying (both together and separately) about it.  We still haven't heard, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

To be honest, his job interview has been a great boost to my faith.  With everything that's been going on in our lives in the past year or so, I'm thankful that we're getting to where we are.  But it's not just that.  I was raised in a Protestant home, and in my life, "Let go and let God" was a frequent mantra.  So I have always been of the mind that, at some point, we have to let go of whatever we're trying to fix and let the Lord handle it in His Own Time.  And then, things happen.

Matthew 19:26 (NASB) says, "...Jesus said to them, 'With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

This week, that's been very helpful to me.  Several months ago (even a few weeks ago), Hubby felt that he could never get a good job.  But since he's been putting his faith in the Lord and letting things happen, everything's coming together.

Romans 8:28, 31 (NASB) says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?"

This is a passage that's been coming to mind a lot lately, as well.  Everything has been falling into place, and it's because the Lord has a plan.  And as long as the Lord is on our side, what does it matter if others are against us?

This has been an inspiring week for me.  Things are all coming together for Hubby and me, and it's really amazing to see.  It's almost surreal the way things fall into place when it's time for them to.  And it's been a great inspiration to me, reminding me that the Lord is at work in our lives, putting things together the way they belong.

There were so many times I told Hubby, "It'll be okay.  Just pray.  It'll be okay."  And now I feel like he can see why I've been saying that all along.

Lenten Reflection

I have to admit that this week, Lent has not gone as I expected it would.  I had high hopes for this Lenten season, but being pregnant has sort of changed things around a bit.  I was frustrated for a few days about it (I felt a bit like a failure), but after praying about it and reading more on Lent, I've adjusted my expectations of myself so things are going much better.

I'm a member of a Catholic forum, and there's been lots of conversation going on among women who are pregnant right now, and how it's affecting their Lenten experience.  One woman, for example, was told by her doctor not to change her diet at all during Lent, including abstaining from meat on Fridays.  Another woman has been ill and exhausted, so she hasn't been able to tend to her daily routine, let alone the "extras" of Lent.  However, we're all finding other ways to make this season special.

I have to keep reminding myself that Lent is a spiritual time more than a physical time.  Yes, people are asked to abstain from meat on Fridays and "give something up" for the season, but it's meant to remind us of the sacrifice Christ made for us.  It's meant to bring us closer to our faith as we prepare for Easter.

So if I can't get up as early as I'd like in order to pray, I can set aside time during the day to pray.  And if I need to eat meat to keep me from feeling ill, I can find something else to give up that day instead.

Ultimately, I have to take care of myself and the baby, and the Lord knows that.

Lenten Reflection

Today is the first Friday of Lent.

I'm happy to say that I'm already spending more time in prayer than I normally would, but not where I expected I would be.  I've had some trouble sleeping, so it's been hard to get up in the morning for my prayer time, so I'm going to work harder beginning tomorrow morning.

I found a great article this morning on Tara's Modern Catholic Mom for Lent.  It's original source is Catholic Exchange, and the original link to the article is here.  You can read it on Tara's blog here.  The article is called "40 Ways to Get the Most out of Lent."  Not all of the 40 things are feasible for me this year, but I'm going to try and do as many of them as possible.  Here's the list for those of you who would like to get more out of Lent this year.  I'm copying it word for word from the original article, and the only things I've omitted is references to the author's CDs for sale.

1. Take 30 minutes to pray, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, look over this list, and make a few practical Lenten resolutions.  Be careful.  If you try to do too much, you may not succeed in anything.  If you need to get up early or stay up late to get the 30 minutes of quiet, do it.  Turn off your phone and computer.  Don't put it off and don't allow interruptions.
2. Get up earlier than anyone else in your house and spend your first 15 minutes of the day thanking God for the gift of life and offering your day to him.
3. Get to daily Mass.
4. If you can't do Mass daily, go to Mass on Fridays in addition to Sunday and thank Him for laying his life down for you.  Maybe you can go another time or two as well.
5. Spend at least 30 minutes in Eucharistic adoration at least one time during the week.
6. Recover the Catholic tradition of making frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament throughout the week, even if it's only for 5 minutes.
7. Get to confession at least once during Lent after making a good examination of conscience....
8. In addition to the penance assigned by the priest, fulfill the conditions necessary for a plenary indulgence.  You can learn about plenary indulgences from the official Handbook of Indulgences, Catholic Book Publishing Company (costs only about $13).
9. Make a decision to read at least some Scripture every day.
10. Even if you can't get to daily Mass, get a daily Catholic Missal or go online to get a list of the readings used each day in Mass, and read those readings daily.  During special seasons such as Lent, the Mass readings are thematically coordinated and make for a fantastic Bible study!
11. Pray the liturgy of the hours.  You can buy a one volume edition or a full four volume edition.  Or you can get it day by day online for free at www.universalis.com.  Or you can subscribe to a monthly publication called the Magnificat that provides a few things from the liturgy of the hours together with the Mass readings of the day.  The Magnificat is a great way to start learning the Liturgy of the Hours.
12. Get to know the Fathers of the Church and read selections from them along with Scripture.  Short selections from the Fathers writing on Lenten themes can be downloaded for free from the Lenten library of our website, www.crossroadsinitiative.com.
13. Make the Stations of the Cross each Friday either with a group or by yourself.  If you have kids, bring them.
14. Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary often during Lent, especially on Friday and Wednesday.  The glorious mysteries are especially appropriate on Sundays.  Joyful and Luminous mysteries are great on other days.
15. Purchase the Scriptural Rosary, which supplies you with a scripture verse to recite between each Hail Mary.  This makes it easier to meditate on the mysteries....
16. If you've never done a family rosary, begin doing it.  If starting with once a week, try Friday or Sunday.  If it's tough to start with a full five decades, try starting with one.  Use the Scriptural Rosary and have a different person read each of the Scriptures between the Hail Marys.  This gets everyone involved.
17. Make it a habit to stop at least five times a day, raise your heart and mind to God, and say a short prayer such as "Jesus, I love you," or "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," or "Lord, I offer it up for you."
18. Pray each day for the intentions and health of the Holy Father.
19. Pray each day for your bishop and all the bishops of the Catholic Church.
20. Pray for your priests and deacons and for all priests and deacons.
21. Pray for the millions of Christians suffering under persecution in various Muslim and Communist countries around the world such as the Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Viet Nam, and North Korea.
22. Pray for Christian unity, that there would be one flock and one shepherd.
23. Pray for the evangelization of all those who have not yet heard and accepted the Good News about Jesus.
24. Pray for your enemies.  In fact, think of the person who has most hurt you or most annoys you and spend several minutes each day thanking God for that person and asking God to bless him or her.
25. Pray for an end to abortion on demand in the United States.  Pray for pregnant women contemplating abortion.
26. Pray for a just peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Holy Land and elsewhere.  Pray for military personnel and others in harm's way.
27. Pray for an end to capital punishment.  Pray for those on death row, and for the families of murder victims.
28. Find a form of fasting that is appropriate for you, given your age, state of health, and state of life.  Some fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Some fast from sweets or alcohol throughout Lent.  Some fast on one or more days per week from breakfast all the way to dinner, spending lunch hour in prayer or at noon Mass.  Some cut out all snacks between meals.  The money saved from not buying various things should be given to an apostolate or ministry serving the physically or spiritually poor.
29. Prayer is like breathing--you have to do it continually.  But sometimes you need to pause and take a very deep breath.  That's what a retreat is.  Plan a retreat this Lent.  It could be simply a half day, out in nature, or in a Church.  Or it could be a full day.  Or an overnight.  You can certainly read lots of things during your retreat or listen to lots of talks.  But try sticking to Scripture, the liturgy, and quiet as much as you can.  During or at the end of the retreat, write down what the Holy Spirit seems to be saying to you.
30. Find a written biography of a Saint that particularly appeals to you, and read it during Lent.
31. Instead of secular videos for weekend entertainment, try some videos that will enrich your spiritual life.  Suggestions: Jesus of Nazareth, by Franco Zeffirelli, The Scarlet and the Black, the Assisi Underground (if you can't find these for rent at the local video store, they are all available from Ignatius Press)
32. While driving, turn off the secular radio for awhile and use commute time to listen to some teaching on audiocassette or CD.  Som great resources can be purchased through www.dritaly.com or from other Catholic apostolates and publishers that you find on our links pages.
33. Find a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or crisis pregnancy center, and volunteer some time there throughout Lent.  Serve the people there with the understanding that in so doing, you are serving Jesus.  Try to see Jesus in each person there.
34. Visit someone at a nursing home or in the hospital or sick at home.  Again, love Jesus in and through the suffering person.
35. Is there a widow or divorced person living in your neighborhood?  If so, invite that person to your home for dinner, coffee, etc.
36. Go and see Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ during Lent, if you feel you can handle the violence.  Get a copy of The Guide to the Passion to help you get the most out of the movie.
37. Bring someone to The Passion of the Christ, especially someone whose faith is rather nominal, or who does not practice their faith, or who does not profess Christian faith at all.  Give them a copy of The Guide to the Passion.
38. Spend some focused time with your spouse, strengthening your marriage.  Start praying together, or make praying together a more frequent occurrence.
39. Spend some focused time together with each of your children.  Listen.  Pray.  Maybe even have fun.
40. When Easter comes, don't drop the new practice you've begun during Lent!  Make a permanent feature of a deeper Christian life!

Ash Wednesday

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the first day of the Lenten season leading up to Easter.

Lent is a serious time in the Liturgical Calendar.  It's a time of penance, reflection/prayer, and fasting as Catholics (as well as some Protestant denominations) prepare their hearts to celebrate Christ's death and resurrection.  And as part of penance, Catholics are instructed to "give something up" for Lent, to (in a small way) remind themselves of the sacrifice Christ made when He died for our sins.

However, I think a large part of Lent, and one that's often overlooked, is prayer and reflection.  This is a time for self-examination, for taking a long, hard look at who we are, decisions we make, priorities in our lives.  Our Lenten sacrifice is meant to make us stronger, more faithful people, and in order to do that, we have to be honest about who we are to begin with.

I decided this year that I'm "giving up" wasting time for Lent.  I realized I spend a lot of time doing nothing.  So for this Lenten season, every time I find myself without a work or personal task to do instead of playing a game online or turning on a random television show, I'm going to spend time in prayer and study.  It will be a much better use of my time, and will hopefully be a habit that continues even after Easter.

Whether you observe Lent or not, whether you celebrate Easter or not, I urge you to spend some time in reflection.  What are your priorities?  What do you want to change in yourself?  What New Year's Resolutions have you kept?