St. Angela Merici Society at 2302 Oak Shores Drive, Kingwood, TX 77339 US - Lenten Ideas & The Way Lent Used to Be

Lenten Ideas & The Way Lent Used to Be

Below you will find more than you wanted probably for Lent......it is just a bunch of stuff from past issues of THE CATHOLIC FAMILY HOME... MAYBE YOU WILL BE INSPIRED? Chari Bryan, editor of The Catholic Family Home HOMEMADE RESURRECTION EGGS Countdown To Easter: Use 12 plastic eggs that can be opened and filled. You may give as a basket with all 12 eggs, labeling each with the number of the day, (i.e. Day12, Day 11...) or give one egg each day to be opened. Day 1 is Easter Day, so start 11 days before Easter with "Day 12". Putting in the appropriate Bible verse/verses for the contents of each egg would add to the significance of the symbolism. Day 12 = Place a cracker or small piece of cracker inside the first egg with a slip of paper explaining how this symbolizes the bread & wine of the Last Supper. Mark 14:22 Day 11 = Place 3 dimes to symbolize the "30 pieces of silver" that Judas received to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14 15 Day 10 = Place a feather to symbolize the cock rooster that crowed 3 times. Matthew 26:33 Day 9 = Place a thorn to symbolize the "crown of thorns" that Jesus wore. A rose bush may be a good source. Mark 15:17 Day 8 = Place a die or a couple of dice to symbolize the "lots that were cast" for Jesus’ clothing. John 19:23-24 Day 7 = Nail, to represent the nails used to crucify Our Lord. Matthew 27:31 Day 6 = Place a sponge to symbolize the sponge that was dipped in vinegar. Matthew 15:36 Day 5 = Place a cross inside to symbolize the cross on which Jesus was crucified. John 19:17-18 Day 4 = Place a piece of cloth to symbolize the cloth with which Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of Jesus. Matthew 27:57-60 Day 3 = A cinnamon stick or clove to represent the burial spices used to anoint Our Lord. Mark 16:1 Day 2 = Place a rock to symbolize the stone that was rolled away from the sepulchre. Matthew 27:62-65 Day 1 = EASTER MORNING! This egg will be empty to symbolize the tomb that was empty, that Jesus was risen from the dead! Mark 16:5-6 A “Way of the Cross” Box by Irene Starrs A few years ago, my husband, Joe, came up with the following idea for making a Stations of the Cross Box to help keep our children’s interest while we prayed. I think our oldest was 3 at the time and her sister was almost 2. He took a shoe box and put small objects that symbolize each station in the box. The children pull out the appropriate object to hold during that station. A couple of examples would be: Station 1 Jesus is Condemned to Death --a string to represent the rope used to tie Jesus’ hands or Station 14 Jesus is Buried -- a stone to represent the stone rolled in front of the tomb. Our kids look forward to praying with their boxes each Lent. Watch for this in the future in a Catholic catalog near you!Contributed by Irene Starrs, who, with her husband, just welcomed their fourth girl into their family. The Jelly Bean Prayer RED is for the blood He gave. GREEN is for the grass He made. YELLOW is for the sun so bright. ORANGE is for the edge of night. BLACK is for the sins we made. WHITE is for the grace He gave. PURPLE is for His hour of sorrow. PINK is for our new tomorrow. A bag full of jelly beans, colorful and sweet, is a prayer, is a promise, is a special treat. EASTER CRAFT IDEAS USING THE JELLY BEAN PRAYER: Pattie tells us at their Catholic homeschooler Easter party on Easter Monday, they made “Jelly Bean” bracelets, using a stretchy line and pony beads. The beads were the same color as in the prayer, with little copies of the prayer included. It makes a simple and quick craft. Would be good for the little ones to do, too!Pattie Kelley-Huff and her husband Scott and their five children live in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois Karen has another idea for their homeschool meeting in April: “We're making up little tulle/netting pouches of these with the prayer attached. Using a colored printer, each line of the poem will be the appropriate color. Punching a hole in the corner of the card, we will tie it to the bag with multiple ribbons of different colors. We've made these as a family for the last few years and keep them in a basket and hand them out to any visitors around Easter.” by Karen Riordan of Kentucky. Wash their feet It's called the washing of feet. I think if there was an eighth sacrament, this would be it. Jesus was our model for this on Holy Thursday, when He washed the feet of His disciples. In times of special need in our family, we do this, sometimes just my husband Michael and myself, sometimes with whoever else is there, family and friends included. Or if you prefer, you can do this with just you and Jesus. Take a nice big basin of the hottest water your feet can stand, and place it in front of your most comfy chair. Gather a nice big towel, a washcloth, your favorite essential oil, bath salts or bath oil, a pumice stone if desired, and lotion for afterwards. If you are alone, you might want to have the Gospel of St. John, Ch.13, or other inspirational reading at hand. The point is to do this simple action with all the love in your heart, whether for yourself or for another. Massage those feet in the warm water, speak aloud your love for the dear person whose feet you are caressing, and be open to the great outpouring of love from He who first modeled this action for us. Giving or getting the foot wash, each has its particular consolations. Be leisurely, let it take 15 minutes, or until that wonderful warmth is dissipating from the water. Play beautiful music in the background. Take this time to care for yourself, to romance your spouse, to show special love for a child or friend....and come away refreshed and renewed. God bless! Contributed by Teresa Drollman who washes the feet of her family and friends in Anacortes, WA. Lent ideas for children How about making a dog chain out of purple construction paper? Each day of Lent, each family member could write an intention for the day for which they will carry out prayer, sacrifice and penance. These could be draped about the house. And it will help keep the family focused on the spirit of the season. On Ash Wednesday, we set on our home altar an empty jar and a small bowl of purple-red beans. For every sacrifice, prayer or penance performed, the children place a bean in the jar. On Easter morning, the beans are replaced with jelly beans. This is to remind them of how sweet their reward in heaven will be for all they have done during Lent. Every day during Lent, we read from the Gospel and Epistle in our missals. We do this right after morning prayers. It helps to keep us in the spirit of what The Church is teaching her children during Lent. Sacrifices to make: give up all sweets and treats; give up all meat; give up secular books, reading only from spiritual books; give up favorite pastimes; TV, if you have one; secular music, and so on, all for the love of Jesus. And remember, NO COMPLAINING! SACRIFICE TREE: A Lenten activity for young children Having young children "give up" or "sacrifice" something for Lent is, of course, important in the teaching of our Faith. This can be hard even on us adults so we must remember how difficult it is for our young children. The Sacrifice Tree activity is a way to introduce sacrifice in an easy and simplified way that can be both accepted and fun for the children. Get a branch much like you would for a "Jesse Tree" and set it up in a place that is well seen, yet out of the way of getting bumped. A purple cloth could surround the holder of the branch. At the start of each day, help the child to decide what he will give up or sacrifice for that day (no peanut butter, no cookies, no soft drinks, no candy, no TV or a favorite show, etc.). By picking a daily sacrifice, the child can handle it easier and not feel overwhelmed. Twenty-four hours is a very long time to a younger child. Once the decision is made, have him make a construction paper symbol to represent his sacrifice, punch a hole at the top, place a yarn through to be able to hang it on the tree. The tree could be explained as a symbol of the wood of the cross where Jesus sacrificed His life for us. We could also hang symbols for prayers learned, good deeds, and remember to offer all the sacrifices up for the salvation of souls. I have used this Sacrifice Tree with my children who are now young adults and it was a thought provoking time for them and me. It helps us to remember to focus on Christ daily and to make a decision each day to serve Him. Contributed by Mary Falgout. The way Lent used to be by Christine Bryan "The forty days' fast, which we call ent (the Old English word for the spring season), is the Church's preparation for Easter. It was sanctioned by Our Blessed Lord Himself, by his forty days' fast in the desert...", from The Liturgical Year, by Dom Gueranger. This penitential season is marked by the trinity of fasting, prayer and almsdeeds. It is a time of making satisfaction for temporal punishment and of begging God's mercy on us. When the Church lovingly used to impose this on her children, each soul underwent a spiritual cleanse and, by focusing on eliminating faults or vices, arrived at Easter as a new person. It is a precept of the Church that we are to fast and abstain on the days appointed. Fasting and abstinence are commonly confused and misunderstood. Bishop Morrow, in My Catholic Faith, 1952, has this explanation: "A fast day is a day on which only one full meal is allowed: but in the morning and evening some food my be taken, the quantity and quality of which are determined by approved local custom. A day of abstinence is a day on which we are not allowed the use of meat." There have been changes in the church law, primarily regarding abstinence, through the years. Fr. Weiser's Easter Book tells us: "In a letter to St. Augustine of Canterbury (604), Pope St. Gregory the Great announced the form of abstinence which soon became the law: 'We abstain from flesh meat and from all things that come from flesh, such as milk, cheese, eggs'. For almost a thousand years this remained the norm of abstinence for all except those who were excused for reason of ill health." He also quotes St. Basil the Great regarding the widespread observance of the fast (meaning, at that time, only one meal a day): "There is no island, no continent, no city or nation, no distant corner of the globe, where the proclamation of the Lenten fast is not listened to. Armies on the march and travelers on the road, sailors as well as merchants, all alike hear the announcement and receive it with joy. Let no man then separate himself from the number of fasters, in which every race of mankind, every period of life, every class of society is included." In 1889, the Sundays in Lent had been dispensed from the abstinence regulations, but it was still recommended. St. Basil, referring to Lent said, "...no animal has to suffer death, no blood flows." The requirements according to the 1917 code of canon law are listed in code 1252: l. The law of abstinence only must be observed on all Fridays. 2. The law of abstinence and fasting must be observed on Ash Wednesday, on the Fridays and Saturdays of Lent, on the Ember Days, on the vigils of Pentecost, the Assumption, All Saints' Day and Christmas. 3. The law of fasting only must be observed on all the other days of Lent. 4. On Sundays and holydays of obligation, except holydays in Lent, (and when vigils fall on a Sunday or holyday) the laws of fasting and abstinence do not bind..." This code, as a change from the days of Benedict XIV, did not require that milk, cheese, eggs and butter were to be abstained from, but only meat itself. By way of contrast, the 1983 code of canon law required only 2 days of fast and abstinence in the year, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Code 1251 states that abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescription of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year. We all know what has happened to that practice! Here are some more variations in specific fasting requirements through the years. The Deharbe Catechism, 1876, says that the fasting days are as listed above, including the Fridays of Advent. It says that this was binding on all over the age of 21 and those who had not been excused by just causes...(more on that later!). Abstinence was required of those who had attained the age of 7, except for just cause. The Baltimore Catechism, 1921, states a light meal of 8 ounces may be taken in the evening on fast days, obligatory for those from the ages of 21 to 59. The Cathedral Daily Missal, 1961, shows that everyone over the age of 7 still had to observe the laws of abstinence on all Fridays as well as Ash Wednesday and the vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. Partial abstinence was required on Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and on the vigil of Pentecost (on days of partial abstinence, meat may be taken only once a day at the principal meal). "On days of fast, binding on those from 21-59, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, enough to maintain health and strength, may be taken according to each one's needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted; but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed. The faithful are earnestly exhorted during the period of fast and abstinence to attend daily Mass; to receive Holy Communion often; to take part more frequently in exercises of piety; to give generously to works of religion and charity; to perform acts of kindness towards the sick, the aged and the poor; to practice voluntary self-denial, especially regarding alcoholic drinks and worldly amusement; and to pray more fervently, particularly for the intentions of our Holy Father." Another interesting note, from the Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, 1952 : "Among the Eastern Rites, many people still retain the old and strict routine, refusing to avail themselves of dispensations, although such are readily granted. In the Near East, numerous priests keep a total fast for two days and eat only every third day all through Lent. Among the Russians, Ukrainians and other Slavic nations, it is common practice to fast until three in the afternoon, while children, though not obliged to, fast voluntarily until noon." I don't wish to give the impression that the bodily fast is the most important part of Lent, but the history just revealed shows the fast of the spirit that would be associated with such sacrifice. In the great work loved by the family of St. Thérèse, The Liturgical Year, Dom Gueranger explains that during the Lent of our forefathers, all amusements and theatrical entertainments, as well as hunting, were forbidden by civil authority, with even the law courts closed. Perhaps the most interesting bit of history is that there was an institution called “God's truce”, whereby the carrying of arms was forbidden from Wednesday evening until Monday morning throughout the Middle Ages, but observed completely and totally from Advent until Easter. The character of mourning prevailed during the season, as is shown within the liturgy by having no flowers or music, the purple vestments and the special hymns and devotions, such as the Stations of the Cross. The faithful were taught to make their homes a miniature Church, trying to introduce the same spirit by giving up jewelry and entertainments and by practicing retirement and separation from the world. Marital restraint was urged in times of fast. Mary Reed Newland, in The Year and Our Children, 1956, teaches that, while our young and old may not be bound by the fast, they are bound by the spirit of Lent. "If we feel that it is unnatural to ask penances of children while they are still very young, penances within their reach, we forget that self-denial must be learned very young, that it is the forming of character, that the very grace of their Baptism flows from the Cross." She gives various practices to help children participate more fully, such as eliminating the words "I'm starving" from the vocabulary! As the weeks go by, it is helpful to have away to chart the season. We made a felt panel and pinned on symbols from the Sunday and Holy Week gospels. (Ed. note: The Lenten Calendar offered by Dumb Ox works well for my family and it includes our favorite Way Of the Cross booklet for children.) Passiontide is the last two weeks of Lent. It is the time to intensify resolutions and gear up for our best efforts. The veiled statues in the churches can be imitated in our homes, at least by covering the crucifixes near the children's beds. It is a good time to make a confession for extra strength as we are physically weakening. We keep Holy Week in this same spirit, but have added some Good Friday practices that are unique to that day. Those who can avoid eating until supper do so, and the others have bread and water for breakfast and lunch, standing at the table in silence. This is amazingly uncomfortable and makes quite an impression on the children. The hours from 12 - 3 are kept in a subdued manner, silence as much as possible, perhaps the reading of the Passion, the Stations of the Cross, family rosary. Of course, if you are able to attend public services at a chapel, that is always encouraged by the Church over private prayer. Supper is served early (!), eaten standing and in silence, and consists of cabbage salad, lentil-tomato soup, and hot cross buns (to remind us of the “good” in Good Friday). I'm not sure how we came up with that menu, but itis our tradition! Holy Saturday is special because Lent is over at noon, and the decorating and preparations for Easter can begin. It is a special day, building to the wonder and holy joy of Easter. Once a traditional Lent is experienced, Easter feasting takes on a whole new meaning! Of course, this is not, by any means, the best part of Easter, but it is quite striking every year as it is still new for us. Now I understand why Easter eggs are used as a celebration food. It is understandable that the uneaten eggs that accumulated during the weeks of Lent would be decorated and given as special gifts. After all those days of no desserts, Easter candy becomes quite special! And the smell of the Easter ham or lamb is unbelievable! The Church teaches that there can be no true feast without the fast. And because Lent was no short affair, it is right that the Easter season lasts fifty days (this can be experienced in a smaller way with Advent being used as a preparation for Christmas: no Christmas cookies or songs until the holy season arrives, etc., with Christmas celebrated at least through January 13). I wanted to deal with the "just causes" mentioned earlier, which can become excuses for not fasting or abstaining. The Deharbe Catechism, mentioned above, states that those excused from fasting are the convalescent, those who are worn out with age, and those who either have to work hard, or would by fasting be prevented from properly discharging the duties of their calling. This may make perfect sense, but it also opens the door to not putting out the effort we could have. I heard a lovely and sobering talk which pointed out that the way God will judge us may not be the way we judge ourselves. I have a dear neighbor who told me an interesting story about Lent in the '50's. A friend of hers had gone to the priest and explained that she was pregnant and really having a difficult time. The priest's response was: "Lent is supposed to be hard." Found in The Liturgical Year, is a letter from Pope Benedict XIV who expressed his heartfelt grief at seeing the great relaxation that was introduced among the faithful by indiscreet and unnecessary dispensations, dated May 30, 1741: "The observance of Lent is the very badge of the Christian warfare. By it we prove ourselves not to be enemies of the cross of Christ. By it we avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God's glory, a disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can it be doubted that such negligence would become the source of misery to the world, of public calamity, and of private woe." I personally had never skipped a meal in my life until I was 24 years old and preparing for the first Tridentine High Mass I had ever attended. I had read that the Eucharistic fast from midnight was to be practiced in that situation. I ate a light meal at 11:30 p.m., and, somehow, managed to survive! You can imagine the difficulties of my first few Lenten seasons! We may tend to think that the rigorous Lent was a thing for the past generations, for those who were tougher than we are. Maria von Trapp, the real Maria represented in the Sound of Music, wrote, in Around the Year with the Trapp Family, 1955: "I got infected by a neighbor of ours in Stowe with the popular preoccupation of which is the best diet. Together we searched through a library of books, one more interesting than the other, the sum total of all them most confusing and astounding, however. Among other things I learned that almost all the ancient and modern sages of the science of ‘how to live longer and look younger’ (they all boast of a tradition going back into the gray dawn of time with the yogis of India) agree on several points: (1) We are all over-eating - we should eat much less. (2) We are all eating too much meat, which sours our system and we absolutely have to abstain from meat for longer or shorter periods every year. (3) If we could adapt ourselves to a diet of raw vegetables and fruit and whole-wheat bread, that would be the ideal. (4) And now I could hardly believe my eyes when I read, not once, but in several places, that it would do simply miracles for our constitution if we only would let ourselves be persuaded to undergo a period of complete fast (one authority suggests three days, others a week, ten days, up to thirty, forty, and even sixty days!). I cannot help but think sadly: Woe if the Church ever had dared to make such a law or even give only a slight hint in the direction of undergoing a complete fast - for the love of God! Obviously, modern man, after all, is not too frail to undergo the awful rigors of ancient fast and abstinence. The constitution of man seems not to have changed at all, then. What has changed are the motives. " I hope this is of some interest and stimulation to you. We must try as hard as we can to resist the fog of paganism and self-indulgence that is permeating our society. The Church, in the Collect of the Thursday after Ash Wednesday prays, "O God, You are offended by sin and appeased by penance: look down in mercy on the prayers of Your suppliant people and turn away the scourges of Your anger, which we deserve for our sins." Christine and her husband David live with 7 of their 9 children in Richmond, New Hampshire. The oldest girls are sisters in a nearby convent. They are the owners of Seat of Wisdom Catholic Books, featured in the Fall ‘98 issue. They are also the brother-in-law and wife referred to in the Letter from the Editor. LENTEN RECIPES Lebanese Rice 3 c. ww spaghetti noodles, broken into 1" pieces 1 c. oil (or butter) 5 c. rice, long grain brown 15 c. water 3 Tbs. Salt Put rice, water and salt on to boil. Sauté noodles in oil in a separate pan until toasted, then let sit. After rice boils, let it simmer for 25 min., add the noodles & oil, stir. Return to a boil, then simmer for 20 more min. This is very nice. Makes about 4 quarts of rice, which re-heats beautifully. (Ed. Note: Delicious!) Baked Sliced Potatoes Cut unpeeled potatoes into 1/4" slices. Use enough to fill the pan of your choice (lasagna pan, etc.). Pour a coating of oil on the bottom, and lay one layer of potato slices down (overlap them to fit a lot in). Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, thyme, and maybe white pepper. Repeat these layers until the pan is full. Pour the scientific amount of oil over the top (maybe 3/4 c. for lasagna pan), cover with a cookie sheet or foil and put in a hot 375 oven for the scientific length of time (at least an hour). Stir these after awhile to see if they are crisping on the bottom. Done when fork-tender. If you are very efficient, you have mixed up something else to cook in the oven at the same time.... Stuffed Peppers Cook brown rice. Mix with reconstituted tomato paste and season just right (salt & pepper). Put in cleaned green peppers (whole or half) and cook in a covered pan with 2" of water - either in oven or on top of stove, until the peppers are fork-tender. You either love these or hate them...This is Mediterranean also, so dance a little while stirring... Lentil Chile 4 qts. water 3 c. lentils 1 1/2 c. brown rice 1 c. millet (use this as much as possible.It is alkaline and is very beneficial. It is also the birdseed you see in stores. It is great as the grain in Tabbouleh, and makes a good pilaf: 1 c. millet to 3 c. water) 1 c. tomato paste Diced onions Minced garlic Bring water with lentils, rice & millet to a boil, then simmer until done (1/2 hr or so). Meanwhile, cook onions and garlic in oil (or water) until tender. Add to finished lentils. Season with chili powder, cayenne, cumin, oregano, more garlic, salt. Serve with as many condiments as you wish: chips, sprouts, sour cream, onions, peppers, etc. Lentil-Tomato Soup Same as for Lentil Chile, but soupier (add more water!). Add lots of carrots, celery, onions to the cooking lentils and season with basil, thyme, salt and garlic. This is a good winter soup and, for some reason, the food we always have for dinner on Good Friday (which we eat standing, in silence. It has an amazing impact - the standing & silence, not the soup!). Hummus Using a food processor, blender, or masher, take 3-4 c. cooked garbanzos 3 Tbs. Tahini (sesame butter - be careful,too much makes this bitter), 1/2 c. lemon juice 2 cloves of garlic, cumin, salt, water and olive oil and mix together. Keep adding and adjusting ingredients until it is smooth and creamy (really, who would try to mash this..) and tastes just right. My (Ed. note: Mine, too!) Lebanese father-in-law has great lips for smacking when he is tasting this, so try to create that effect for your family. You should be able to taste a hint of lemon and garlic. It's great when it's right. This is a dip for pocket bread, torn in pieces, and is actually pretty good in sandwiches (what we use during Lent besides cashew butter). Gypsy Soup Sauté chopped onion, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes (or winter squash) for 10 min. Add salt, paprika (at least 2 tsp.), basil, cinnamon, cayenne, and water. Cover, boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add cooked garbanzos and chopped green pepper. This is very good soup. The oil on top makes it look like you're not too cheap (do you know the story by Howard Pyle?), and the paprika colors the broth so you don't have to resort to tomatoes again. Any combination of orange and green vegetables will do . A few other thoughts: Don't worry about a lack of protein when eating this way. There is plenty in these foods, but if someone has high protein needs, use almonds or nut butter to supplement. It's a good time to try to work more vegetables into the diet. Do spend a little extra time fixing the meals so they are ready on time and look edible. For breakfast we often have rice cakes (Lundberg brand is the only one we've found worthwhile) spread with cashew butter (peanut butter is very hard to digest. It would be similar to roasted lentil butter! It often has a high mold content as well). Hot cereal made of various grains isn't pure torture, but it doesn't win me a lot of points, either) there is a way to make oatmeal so it isn't slimy!). Rice Dream 'milk' is fine on cereal and has no poisons like most of our dairy products. It also avoids the homogenization issue. Our general rule is to cook extra for supper so there is enough for the next day's lunch or supper also. Remember that most of the people in the world eat the same foods day after day (even meal after meal). This is an inexpensive way to eat, and you will, hopefully, be able to afford to get good quality ingredients that can make all the difference. Remember to give the money saved as alms. When you cut out rich foods, your body may go into a cleansing mode, which perfectly fits the Lenten theme of suffering! Dress warmly and drink tea. I read a story that told how people who lived near the sea ate pickled herring during Lent. When Holy Saturday came, they buried any that was left over! You may not want to see another bean for awhile, but it is a good lesson for all of us to not always be eating like Americans (!) and, hopefully, mortifying ourselves in this way is pleasing to Almighty God. These recipes and ideas contributed by Christine Bryan. They were included in a talk she gave describing “The way Lent used to be”!

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