The First Sunday of Lent. It is here and it is quite early! Thank you for praying with us. Remember to keep the women who are doing this retreat in your prayers over the next few weeks.

We have been ‘in’ Lent for a couple of days now. Hopefully you felt like you were ready! Hopefully your lenten disciplines are in place and on a roll. If not, that’s ok. Start again today. Think about whether you need to things differently. Lent is not “over already” if we fail in the first few days! It is an on going conversation with God. Not just an unthinking “task” to get through for forty days in a row. It is meant to change us, change our souls. Not our waistline.

Confession, as you will hear Fr Daniel say below, is important at the beginning of Lent. It helps us to clarify what are our consistent failings and gives us something concrete to focus on. If you can’t get to confession this week try and make it a priority soon, but do examine your conscience so that you have a focus.

As we keep saying, our culture is suffocating our souls with noise, with too much information (much of it not even true). There is too much ugliness, too much self promotion, too much busy-ness without any actual focus on the things that speak to our souls. There is too much passivity and not enough action. There is no room for silence. Yet it is only in silence that God speaks. So, it would seem, there is no room for God.

Our message for you through out this whole Lent is actually quite simple. Make the time for God in your day. Make the time for stillness. Be Martha, and also Mary. Make the time  to rest with Him and let Him lead you to His will.

We are all praying with you.

 

Gospel Reading Audio 

Reflection on the Gospel by Fr Daniel McCaughan

reflection sheet

We have provided a number of reflection questions based on the video above. You don’t need to answer them all. They are just a guide to help you reflect on what was said. You can pick as many or as few as you wish. It really depends on the time you have through the week and what really spoke to you. Click the image to download the sheet.

Further reading

Here we are listing a number of other resources that you might like to look at. Of course you don’t need to use any at all or even just in Lent! It is mainly for those who wish to delve more deeply into themes or ideas that have been looked into this week.

Scripture
Click here for the other reading from Mass today.
If you would like to look them up in your own Bible they are:
Genesis 9:8-15
Psalm 25:4-9
1 Peter 3:18-22

Prayer 

We have talked a bit about confession today, but it is because Lent and Confession go hand in hand. Confession helps you know yourself. Have a read of this very helpful and articulate article on how this topic. Fr Casey gives you an examination of conscience, prayers, explanations and beautiful reflections that are so useful at this time to understand or even just be reminded of the power and beauty of this sacrament.

During Lent we always celebrate (a day off Lent!) the feast of St Joseph. He is such an important role model for us in his humility and his great love. Today is 30 days until his feast day and the Church has a traditional 30 day novena that you can pray to St Joseph for help with special intentions. Often they are the big decisions that you need to make in life, jobs, moving, houses, family decisions, family problems, but they can really be anything that you would really like St Joseph’s help to intercede with you for clarity. Here is one version of this prayer. There seem to be a few. You can also order hard copy versions from various Catholic bookshops around the place.

Books
(You can buy these books from anywhere you like –  links are given just for information)

Introduction to a Devout Life by St Francis de Sales is one of those books termed a ‘spiritual classic’. St Francis has so much wisdom in the pages and leads the reader to a deeper relationship with Christ. It is a great book to start in Lent. Sarah McDonald recently wrote of her love for this saint on our blog here.

If you would like to read more about Confession you cannot go passed Scott Hahn’s Lord, Have Mercy – The Healing Power of Confession.

If you are looking for a book to read this Lent that might inspire with examples of holiness, there is this compilation of Pope Benedict XVI’s addresses on various holy women throughout the ages.

The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis is always a good book to read during Lent. The story of a “senior” devil mentoring a “junior” devil in the ways of temptation is quite timely and very clever for this season. For something a little different, here is an illustrated version on Youtube.

Articles/Blog Posts

Here is a link to a blog post of ours from Aid to the Church in Need. It also reflects on the Gospel today and talks beautifully about the three pillars of Lent. Aid to the Church in Need is a really wonderful charity that does such important work, especially in areas of the world where the Church is persecuted. If you are looking for somewhere to take up your call to alms-giving, Aid to the Church in Need would be a worthy cause.

Here is a blog post by a mother of six and her reflections on Lent.

Last year Natasha Marsh wrote an article in the Catholic Weekly about ideas that you can do for lent. It is still very much worth the read!

This is a reflection on the words “It is finished” spoken by Christ from the Cross and how an artist never feels that their work is finished.

It is difficult to live in our Western Culture today as Catholics. Sometimes it is hard to articulate what it is that is wrong. What is going on? Why does something feel wrong to you, but you cannot quite put your finger on what it is. Fr James Schall SJ looks into what has been called by Pope Benedict  as an “epoch of sins against God the Creator.”

If you have children and are looking for some picture books to add to your Lent/ Easter collection here’s a post from Haley at Carrots for Michaelmas.

Audio

Sometimes we are so obsessed with doing something perfectly that we don’t do anything. We get so discouraged about not doing Lent “perfectly” that we just stop trying.  Here is a short burst of encouragement for you from Leah Darrow.

Here is the most recent Word on Fire Podcast which looks at three great “spiritual athletes” that can help us during Lent.

Tips for prayer! Sometimes, we just need a little bit of encouragement or ideas about how to pray. Since praying is one of the pillars of Lent, this video from the ever enthusiastic Fr Mike Schmitz might give you what you need.

Lenten Music

Below is a YouTube playlist of Lenten music for this week. It is meant to be a tool for prayer, but also can be played through your day to help keep the season in mind. Apologies for any advertisements that may interrupt your listening!

If you would like to receive these reflections in your inbox for each Sunday of Lent click here.