Jl 2:12-18
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.
Many people associate the season of Lent with Catholicism, but that no longer holds true. Many other churches and people are choosing to observe the forty days (not including Sundays) before Easter. Lent is a time of penance, of choosing to look closely at our lives and invite the Holy Spirit in to help us clean house.
Often we will choose to give up something, a sacrifice we offer to the Lord, but also something we use as a way to remind us to be more holy, more dependent on God. We fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and we abstain from meat on Fridays as well, although many Catholics do not understand that we still have an obligation to fast on Fridays or substitute another penitential practice year round. We are called to give alms during Lent.
These practices are meant to help us prepare to meet Jesus on Easter Sunday, having walked these six weeks with him toward Calvary, fasting as he fasted in the desert, carrying our cross as he carried his, doing the will of the Father as Jesus taught us so well.
Like Mary, we hope to find ourselves at the foot of the cross on Good Friday, still with our Savior, looking with a more hopeful and receptive heart toward the Resurrection.
If you are not a member of a church, or your particular church does not have any Ash Wednesday service, you are welcome to participate at any Catholic Church. You do not have to be Catholic to attend the service or receive the ashes. I’m sure that is true of other denominations as well.
Catholics, and many other Protestant denominations follow a liturgical calendar, which I find to be of great aid to me daily and yearly in my attempt to follow Jesus. Advent begins our new Church year, and we look forward to the birth of Jesus. We then celebrate Christmas for an Octave, and the season ends with Epiphany. Soon after comes Lent, and we cast our eyes toward Holy Week, and the death, and Resurrection, and we again spend eight days, another Octave, celebrating Easter. After Pentecost comes the long stretch of what the Church call Ordinary Time before we start again with Advent.
I find this yearly journey helps me keep an eye on where I am going. It helps me not just tread water spiritually, but make progress, and to more “live out” the life of Christ.
If your church has special services today or during Lent, please tell us about it, especially if visitors are welcome to participate. And don’t forget the Knights of Columbus fish fry on Fridays! Usually for five or six bucks you’ll get a get supper and help the Knights raise money for their charitable causes.
This post, and all of those you will encounter during Lent and Easter are meant to encourage us in our worship. If you choose not to worship, are not Christian, or have a grudge against specific faiths such as Catholicism , there are many forums online where you can debate or condemn. This is not one of them, and I will without any second chances ban anyone who breaks that rule. I’m sorry that this has become a necessary warning, but it has.
John 3:16
Will post on my church’s service later. Its 0130 CT.
In the books, The Mystical City of God, by Sr. Mary Agreda….she was told that when Mary and Joseph met Simeon in the temple, that as Simeon proclaimed the future for this child, the baby snuggled deeper into His mother’s arms, as if in fear.
Last I checked, the books were approved by the Vatican.
Lots to meditate upon, this year…
I am offering my sacrifices, give ups, etc, also in a thanksgiving of sorts…although repentance is high on my list.
I pray to the Lord our God, that he finds favor with our Lenten Sacrifices and Prayers.
Aggiegirl
City of God is probably the best book I’ve ever read .
I still have it , although it is in a few pieces . What a great book it is.
Yes, it is a beautiful book indeed!
Another one, that warms my heart is “The Glories of Mary” by Alfonsus Liguori. That is where, I believe, I read that Our Lady’s favorite flower is the pink rose.
My grandmother taught me and instilled in me, a devotion to Our Lord’s mother. And St. Joseph….
I love that book too
Alfonsus was a BIG guy
God bless you, Menagerie. Reading these posts is a church service for me — daily. It is how I begin each morning— and end each night —in prayer.
There are wonderful, spiritual people (like yourself) who provoke thoughtful examination— and share so much positivity and light.
So— God bless you everyone from the bottom of my heart! 🙏💕
Thank you Lorrie. Your beginning and ending each day in prayer brings me encouragement. It is what I have strived for all my adult life, but some days are not as well done as others.
My grandfather always told us to put our shoes far back under our bed. Because a good man should start and end each day on his knees!
💕🙏
Supports my belief older are wiser
We had a paltry population count in 1940, as compared to today.
Yet we had many wiser people who kept the crew working for goodness than we do today.
A mere comparison of ratios will test this theory.
Beautiful, Sundance! TY!!
Here is an update on God’s ‘visitation’ and the current outpouring of His Spirit. Praise God!!!
https://www.charismanews.com/culture/91565-jim-garlow-the-efforts-of-asbury-university-officials-behind-the-scenes
That was beautiful. Thank you for posting, Jude.
Thank you Jude for posting that link.
I have been following that event from the 9th of February .
Even though they moved it off campus it isn’t over. People are coming so they can take it home. I still link into the live stream on Mon.,Wed.(right now) and Friday at 10 AM
We have prayed for so many years for a spiritual renewal. This one looks like the real deal.
Given the state of the world today and no calvary on the way except the one that Jesus went to.
This is the main event .
That link is
Outpouring
At Asbury.edu
Thanks for posting! 🕊💕
Beautiful, but posted by Menagerie, not Sundance.
Some questions have been cropping up on remarkable timings of things:
‘Asbury “Revival”—Letter to the Editor Raises Concerns About Possible Pre-Planned Exploits‘
https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=35804
Combine the above with this:
”According to one of the students I talked to, a few hours later, the president of the seminary sent an email to the students encouraging them to visit the chapel to join the 20 students on what he described as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Apparently, 200 students arrived for worship at the chapel soon after, and there has been non-stop worship ever since.”
If that’s the case, that might explain a lot.
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-the-asbury-revival-a-real-revival.html
The Lord works in mysterious ways
It’s always wise to question what is really happening here.
So many people are hungry for spiritual life because the times we live in are evil and very disquieting. Only a true revival and awakening would turn this ship around.
I heard they are turning down donations , not letting famous speakers hijack the simplicity. The worship so far is biblical and Christ centered . That’s why I have been following
it closely to see if it is genuine.
If there were any manipulation that would be horrendous and so destructive to seekers.
There will always be snakes in the grass looking to poison the water.
Yet if it is a moving of God no one can stop it and if it isn’t it will not last or have any Godly fruit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love,joy,peace,patience,
kindness, goodness gentleness ,faithfulness, and self control. No one can say Jesus is God incarnate except by the Holy Spirit.
That’s the biblical testing of the spirit.
What if – the seminary president was prompted by the Holy Spirit to send the e-mail?
What’s wrong with that?
This revival has far greater and more immediate exposure because of “social media” which did not exist in 1970. This has enabled the revival to spread worldwide in a few days. Again, what’s wrong with that?
There will always be heretics, evil is always present. Don’t condemn a genuine move of God because of a few nay-sayers, or because it doesn’t fit in your doctrine box.
I daily receive emails of writings by Charles H. Spurgeon. Today’s seemed appropriate for Lent so will post as is:
“Understandest thou what thou readest?”
Acts 8:30
‘We should be abler teachers of others, and less liable to be carried about by every wind of doctrine, if we sought to have a more intelligent understanding of the Word of God. As the Holy Ghost, the Author of the Scriptures is he who alone can enlighten us rightly to understand them, we should constantly ask his teaching, and his guidance into all truth.
When the prophet Daniel would interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, what did he do? He set himself to earnest prayer that God would open up the vision. The apostle John, in his vision at Patmos, saw a book sealed with seven seals which none was found worthy to open, or so much as to look upon. The book was afterwards opened by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who had prevailed to open it; but it is written first—“I wept much.” The tears of John, which were his liquid prayers, were, so far as he was concerned, the sacred keys by which the folded book was opened.
Therefore, if, for your own and others’ profiting, you desire to be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,” remember that prayer is your best means of study: like Daniel, you shall understand the dream, and the interpretation thereof, when you have sought unto God; and like John you shall see the seven seals of precious truth unloosed, after you have wept much. Stones are not broken, except by an earnest use of the hammer; and the stone-breaker must go down on his knees. Use the hammer of diligence, and let the knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a stony doctrine in revelation which is useful for you to understand, which will not fly into shivers under the exercise of prayer and faith. You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer. Thoughts and reasonings are like the steel wedges which give a hold upon truth; but prayer is the lever, the prise which forces open the iron chest of sacred mystery, that we may get the treasure hidden within.’
May our Lord’s Mercy & Blessings be upon all His children.
Hey Jude
Thanks for sharing that.
Hey, I like saying hey to you Jude.
It feels good.
Hey Jude.
Seriously, that was very nice, enjoyed it.
i like your name Jude . i should have kept it that simple, sorry
Thank you for your beautiful words from Charles Spurgeon. His messages are always right on time. May you all have a blessed Ash Wednesday, and may we all experience the immeasurable love and value God has for us as we seek to return the same to Him.🙏🏻🎚
Tears are liquid prayers.
This was a revelation to me.
You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer.
This was a reminder to me.
Thank you very much, Jude. Reading your post written by Charles Spurgeon this morning has lifted me up, and brought me closer to God.
Amen
In the past 13-14 days, here are the locations where the outpouring has occurred thus far: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1741399,-98.4761986,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!11m1!2s1sg03aBIpgGhx7fCBgRalgLz5xQY
Totally off topic!
I believe in God. (love)
I don’t disbelieve in Jesus
I don’t believe when Jesus says turn the other cheek, that we should turn the other cheek
I grew up as a Christian and like to live the life of a Christian – mostly …
but, for the last decade or so ,
I’ve found that I’m not meek nor do I turn the other cheek,
I search further back and decide I believe in the “old book”.
An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.
IMO Today’s political antics are too much!
I’ve ceased turning the other cheek.
I now support Putin’s view of the future!
No longer will I agree with Gay Rights and all that other BS
I’ve had gay friends – who NEVER pressed their opinions on me – just asked for my acceptance – which I readily gave!
Grrr I agree mostly with what is freely asked and NOT what is just demanded of me!
An Aussie Believer in God!
And that is the problem with a lot of people, they do not consider both Old and New Testaments, nor do they consider several thousand years of recorded history of how to behave as intelligent adults. Revenge is not the same as saying No.
Hey Aussie,
Still definitely a Jesus Freak, on purpose and fully sold on the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus along with it’s attendant potential benefits to humanity, not to mention the current work of the Spirit in the world.
That said….
I’m in a similar space on the cheek turning.
The visible church has done a VERY POOR job of distinguishing between civil and spiritual law IMO.
The whole “don’t talk politics and religion” mantra has resulted in hardcore activists, who could care less about offending anyone, taking over many institutions and bureaucracies and launching this all out war on freedom, individual liberty and ultimately, that Creator who endowed us with those gifts and rights mentioned in the Declaration.
The visible church, buy it’s very nature, is populated with leaders who are “nice guys” saying “nice things” so people will keep coming back for more.
The Church Universal is MUCH LARGER and much more varied – by Design I would submit.
Don’t give up un Jesus just because many of those claiming authority to speak for Him don’t do a great job of articulating the complexities and challenges related to the intersection of God and human government.
There is still hope and I still believe God is always seeking and saving.
The hungry get filled.
The broken get mended.
And the meek will inherit the Earth.
What most preachers don’t know and don’t tell you is that meekness is GREAT POWER under control.
Keep standing.
Refuse to yield.
Whether by many or few, let’s see what God will do….
1 Samuel 14
Very true. MEEK, a great teaching. This homily is very good, the teaching of meekness starts at 11:00″
Thank you.
Especially appreciate the quote from Mother Teresa.
A pen in the hand of God.
Beautiful and informative.
Forgiving is not forgetting. Holding a grudge (that’s what it is) does nothing to injure the perpetrator. It hurts you, and is corrosive to your spirit. Of course, whether we forgive or not, we must stop the person from harming someone else. That is a different issue.
Jesus cast “certain folks” from the temple in a temper. I do not believe we put our heads on a chopping block. I will not willingly go into the modern equivalent of the NWO gas oven.
I too have turned to the Old Testament, and teachings. I believe G-d is the one true and only G-d, the creator of all things. Everything that happens is His will. I pray He blesses all here and around the world and finds us worthy of redemption.
Amen.
Wrong thread to mention this, junior.
Amen
Thank you Lord for watching over Your children.
I ask for your forgiveness and protection on me and my family.
Amen.
So is Help Me Jesus, or a simple Help!
These particular verses have a very special place in my heart and spirit. When I saw them posted here, it was a type of confirmation for me and again showed me that God is so loving and faithful. He has never given up on us or His plan which is reconciliation of all things back to Himself, even His enemies, which include “carnal” Christians. With the chaos going on now in the world, it is hard for some to remember that God is not the God of confusion and chaos, but allows it due to choices and then therefore turning people back to Him. He seeks true repentance of the heart, not outward display or lip service. May we turn back to Him and find peace in His plan as He prepares to usher in His Kingdom.
Thank you again and may God bless you!
Going into this Lent we should start the Devotion of the Holy Face. Many saints have said this is the way we will defeat totalitarianism/communism. The destruction of our world we are experiencing now is due to the major blasphemies we have made to God and we need to offer reparation for them and undo the damage with this Devotion.
My first prayer after reading this post:
Our Father, Thank you for your loving kindness and mercy towards us, which we do not deserve.
Thank you for giving us your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, rose from the dead on third day, and ascended into heaven, where He now rules and reigns over everything.
Please draw many to Yourself today and in days ahead – those who read this website, and their families and friends.
Draw people everywhere across this broken land to Yourself.
Open their ears, help them to hear Your voice and not harden their hearts, but call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved, and their household.
Give them the mind of Christ and help them to think like He does, holy and righteous.
Help them to take up their cross daily, crucify the flesh, die to self and follow You.
Help them to live in manner worthy of You and bring You glory and honor for rest of their days.
Thank you that although we are made of dust and to dust we shall return, the moment we take our last breath on earth, we will be in Your presence – forever – IF we believe in Your Son and confess with our mouth that He is Lord.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
Strengthen our hearts during these dark days and help us to shine brightly for You.
We bless you, praise you and worship you for Jesus’ sake and in His name. Amen.
Thank you for this.
God bless everyone.
Do You Want to Fast This Lent?
Fast from hurting words to say kind ones.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can hear.
Not my words. But my heart is grateful to the soul whose words they are. So I say amen. And again, Amen…
Thank you Bet…Amen!
You are most welcome, dear friend.
Betsy, sincerely reaching out in love and positive truth to those who have not always illuminated my grumpy heart. It is easy for me to lavish positivity on those I really care about. My focus of late are those I tend to get irritated with — and strangers who are in need. I am trying to give to those I might normally wish to ignore. It’s good for me.
Oh dear…
https://opusdei.org/en-us/dailytext/i-am-with-him-in-the-time-of-trial/
nichan, this so lovely. And what a help it would be for those whose sorrows (of all kinds) are overwhelming. Surely these words were inspired by the Holy Spirit. I shall keep them so I may refer to them when, not if, needed. Thank you so much for this prayer and what followed.
through one of His contemporary saints – St Jose Maria Escriva.
All blessings for this Holy Lent to you and yours – all good which only God, The Almighty Father alone, can give, will give.
Amen.
And to you also, nichan. As with Christmas last year, this Lent for me has taken on a much deeper meaning, if that can be possible. Blessings to you always.
Thank you, Betsy Jones. Amazing Christmas for me turned out much like what you shared ..more meaningful; despite the first time ever, I did not do the usual Christmas stuff. Not even sending a card. The last year’s Christmas yielded more miracles than all I have received thro’ this short life. In fact, I’ve never consciously asked for miracles which happened. Now though, it is “God’s Will” ..no matter what. I have no need to know how when or what. What is firm is that “if it is necessary, there will be a miracle. As it turned out, a lot of it has been a ‘beefing up’ and an ‘oldskin shedding, nothing spectacular going through daily life, interactions more on an unseen level. A firmer ‘anchoring’, so to speak. A ‘next phase’ in growing up and the graces needed ahead.
Everything is possible when we can specifically name the source of our lack and inability to choose .. every single moment of the day. There are days and moments one oneself, just as the son who didn’t go out to help the father eventually did as opposed to the one who promised, but didn’t. The picking up of the little self and looking more at God as embodied in the prodigal’s son’s father – where true love and power lies.
We will never ever be ‘all there’ till we breathe our last; every day we live with pure intention and goodwill despite methods may be ‘wrong’ or ‘inadequate’ is Lent – and God’s life and work done in us. His Work. We, the vessels He shapes to reflect His Glory. Even then; we pray always that we will see the Lord in the land of the ‘living’.
May God bless you for all you pray for, all who and all that you pray for. Love always
Amen
Wishing all a blessed Lenten Season…
I was walking my little 7 lb. mutt early this morning in our small village when I encountered two pleasant women from the small Episcopal Church nearby. They were offering “Ashes to Go”. On the card they handed me, “Why “Ashes to Go?” We’re offering ashes on the street today because that reminder of need, humility, and healing shouldn’t be confined to a church building. We probably need it more when we are in the middle of our daily business! The ashes we receive here are to remind us throughout the day of our need for God, and of God’s call to us.”
I thought that was a nice touch and a wonderful way to begin my day today. They also reminded me that God meets us not just in worship, but in the midst of life throughout every moment of day.
A church is defined in part only by a physical structure.
How right you are, Niagra. We are all members of the Body of His Church universal, interacting every day with one another, with the Holy Spirit amongst us.
Yes…how very right you are.
Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all creatures, we pray for your great mercy, that you guide us towards you, for we cannot find our way.
And guide us to your will, to the need of our soul, for we cannot do it ourselves. And make our mind steadfast in your will and aware of our soul’s need.
Strengthen us against the temptations of the devil, and remove from us all lust and every unrighteousness, and shield us against our foes, seen and unseen.
Teach us to do your will, that we may inwardly love you before all things with a pure mind. For you are our maker and our redeemer, our help, our comfort, our trust, our hope; praise and glory be to you now and forever.
Thank you and may God continue to bless and guide you.
Amen
I will NOT be donating to any special collection for ‘Ukraine’ today!!!
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I know that I’m a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe you’ve died for my sins and rose from the dead.
I turn from my sins. I repent of my sins.
I invite you to come into my heart and my life.
I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Amen.”
BEAUTIFUL, BRILLIANT and ORTHODOX!! Carved in Stone by the Master’s Hand. Rock Solid Advice. Some things should never change with the societal norms. Thank You! Imagine if everyone in the world would ask for forgivness of their sins one day. Or if we could all pray for our family, friends, neighbors, cities, counties, states and Nation(s). I believe the universe would shake with such a Yuge vibrational change immenating from this blue marble that we call home.
“The Best is Yet to Come!”
Thank you!
My church, Trinity United Methodist Church in Paducah, KY has a Noon service and 6 p.m. service , CST.
I do not know why this post just made me cry. I guess about the “ashes to ashes and dust to dust”.
Yes, today I’m very emotional. My sister informed me my stepfather has gone into hospice care. He has had a long, adventurous and full life, but still. So I ask for prayers for him and our family. G-d bless.
Will do.
“O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones. Let me find You again. Amen.”
~Henri Nouwen ~
My sweet Lord Tribute to George Harrison by Family and Friends
THANK YOU!
The Busted Halo video is quite good. Thank you for sharing, Menagerie.
I had to drive to my county seat today to go to the dentist. The appointment was timed perfectly so that I had 5 minutes to skedaddle over to noon Mass where I found a parking spot right in front of the pretty packed church. Yay! The priest did a little riff off of JFK: “Ask not what you can do for Lent, but ask what observing Lent can do for you.”
Perhaps this might be of interest to someone else.
Great Lent, or the Fast, in the Orthodox Christian Church begins next week. The day is called Clean Monday in English.
The days and weeks that lead up to the start of Great Lent are named for special events in Salvation History in preparation for the Fast. The Hymnography of this period of the Triodion is sacred, not secular.
Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco (+ 1966) reposed in the Lord in Seattle. His incorrupt Relics are in San Francisco.
He left us these inspiring and soul-profiting words in a sermon that is titled “Before Lent” in English.
Saint John pray for us!
http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/johnmx2_e.htm#n1
I began to come around to my spirituality about 30 years ago, but very, very slowly. I am so sorry for what I was. I repent with all my heart. I am essentially, still a newbie in my faith. It is getting stronger every day. The Holy Spirit has begun to give me a better understanding of God’s word. I know I still have such a long way to go on this journey. If you feel the call, please pray for me. My family as well. Thank you all. God bless all of you.
An aspect of Lent for Roman Catholics is that it is the period for conversion and Sacrament of Baptism culminating at the Easter Vigil Mass.
As a Methodist, we have a liturgical tradition stemming from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. For Ash Wednesday it is suggested to sing the following hymn, UMH No. 269:
1 Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us didst fast and pray,
teach us with thee to mourn our sins
and close by thee to stay.
2 As thou with Satan didst contend,
and didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
in thee to conquer sin.
3 As thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and chiefly live
by thy most holy word.
4 And through these days of penitence,
and through thy passiontide,
yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
5 Abide with us, that so, this life
of suffering over past,
an Easter of unending joy
we may attain at last.
Crosby, Stills and Nash 50 years ago sang “You Are Stardust” and the spiritual of us understood.
While this Christian family does not elect to follow you upon this particular course, we are one with you. Very soon, we will celebrate our victory together. And, until then, we have no quarrel. Our “differences,” in fact, do not even exist.
Indeed, let us celebrate these precious religious practices which “have no quarrel.” Instead, let us regard them as our collective heritage. Let us now celebrate them, perhaps individually.
Maybe, “once beyond the veil,” we shall all have a jolly laugh. Indeed.
Ummm. Bit of a correction.
“Catholics, and many other protestant denominations…”
“Catholics, and many protestant denominations…” is how it should read. Catholicism is not any protestant denomination. It is the (currently tattered) Church that Christ Himself established.
Catholics, including ALL rites, have about 1,500 years on any protestant denomination.
Thank you for accuracy.
Jesus Christ was Jewish.
My loved ones are Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish. I love the Lord and couldn’t get through each day without Him!
Jesus loves us all.
Fresco in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem
Gospel AcclamationPs50:12,14
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
A pure heart create for me, O God,
and give me again the joy of your help.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Or:cf.Ps94:8
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Sundance, thank you for your defense of the Roman Catholic Church and the Faith. I find it ironic how some Protestants state that Catholics will all go to hell but I’ve never head Catholics, much less the Church, state the same about Protestants. I hope you and yours have a blessed Lenten Season.
Serviam,
Luis
Unfortunately costs have risen: $12 takeout fish dinner; $16 adults, $13 seniors, $9 kids all you can eat dine-in. First dine-in since covid. We are about 45 miles northwest of DC. We will try to make it to most of them, donating baked goods for dessert. Got my ashes after work today. Went with friends to Shrove Tuesday pancake breakfast at another local church last night. Hubby has been a Knight for many years and used to be in charge of the Fish Fry dinners for a few years. Those guys work hard! God Bless Us All on our Lenten Journeys.
At least they are still doing them. The Shrove Tuesday pancake supper I usually attend didn’t happen this year because the minister up and left, took off for Texas. Fish Fry isn’t happening at the Catholic Church, still haven’t heard the reason for it. I made my own pancakes for supper and not sure what I will do for a fish fry. Just makes me sad the yearly traditions aren’t happening.
…my church is 6 miles north, another one mile away…I opted for closer one. Cold and rainy, I went at 5pm
Church was full, Ashes distributed, small prayer service within, took a half hour start to finish. People left after getting ashes before the prayer service was over…it was standing room only at the start…the church was probably only 1/3 full after ashes.
I don’t know if people thought it was over once they got their ashes…I felt kind of sad for the priest, he had a funny look on his face as he looked at the congregation before the final prayer…families with kids…guessing they wanted to get home and fix dinner.
A house cleaning, to better appreciate the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit…
The First Sunday of Advent November 27, 2022 | Menagerie ~ Column here at TheConservativeTreehouse.
A video is posted with a Catholic Priest speaking about the important actions at Advent, ~The True Meaning of Advent.~…. … Like many things said in homilies, the talk is appropriate for all seasons in the Church.
The ‘Lords Prayer’ = ‘Forgive us our trespasses ~as we forgive those that trespass against us.’ [Our Father)
*****************************************************
Lent is also a time to ask for forgiveness, from God and neighbor. … No one should become another person’s Stumbling Block.
I grew up in the Evangelical and Reformed Church (later United Church of Christ). We had 2yrs of catechism which consisted of studying the Bible every Saturday.
It culminated in our confirmation and Holy Communion on Easter Sunday.
We practiced lent but without ashes, and were expected to give up something important to us during those 6wks. Easter Sunday was a very special day of joy and celebration, and I will always hold those memories dearly in my heart.
I was not able to attend the noon service, but a drive by was offered between 5/5:30. No clue how the noon service went but I was greatly disappointed that for the drive by only 3 showed up, and if you count the dog it was four. Someone brought their little Beagle dog in w/them. At first I thought literally you sat in your car and received the ashes, thankfully it was inside the church. Once you got your ashes you could leave or pray for a bit. I was there the whole time. I felt bad for the Rev.
This country really needs a REVIVAL
Oh Blood and Water I trust in thee .
Thank Menagerie. Another beautiful post and thoughtful comments. I always make it a point to check your posts when the major feast days or the high holidays in the Catholic/Christian church are upon us.
Soli Deo Gloria
1. The holy day is Resurrection Sunday and not the pagan spring celebration of Easter.
2. Biden’s Inflation has made the KOC suppers $12.
3. Putin’s recent proclamation of his Ukraine effort as a Holy War means the first white horseman has left the gate with God’s permission to conquer. This means the first seal has been broken and WW3 is the second horseman waiting at the gate. It could be China invading Taiwan after being emboldened by Putin’s success.
4. Extensively reviewing the Hebrew calendar, it was not Good Friday but Good Wednesday, the day before Pesach (Passover). Jeshua’s last supper was just that and it occurred on Manday Monday or Tuesday. Resurrection Sunday is a Sunday and this year as in Jesus’s time will fall on the 3rd day of the Omer. Interestingly, Pentecost occurred on a Friday, the real Good Friday and beginning of the Church Age. Jeshua ascended the previous Friday or the week before or 40 days after His burial in the Tomb.