Ash Wednesday
40 Days – because it is traditional: number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible. Thus Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28), the spies were in the land for forty days (Numbers 13:25), Elijah traveled forty days before he reached the cave where he had his vision (1 Kings 19:8), Nineveh was given forty days to repent (Jonah 3:4), and most importantly, prior to undertaking his ministry, Jesus spent forty days in wilderness praying and fasting (Matthew 4:2).
-not including Sundays Sundays are celebratory so not included for “mourning”
-Ash Wed-Holy Saturday Ash Wednesday cross on forehead. Day of Fast and abstinence (18-60) Fast; eat one meal, and snacks Abstinence; (14+) no meat but eggs are allowed (Daniel 10:1- 3) By giving up good things and denying them to ourselves we encourage an attitude of humility, free ourselves from dependence on them, cultivate the spiritual discipline of being willing to make personal sacrifices, and remind ourselves of the importance of spiritual goods over earthly goods. We are to remember penance all year not just in
Easter
All Fridays are days of abstinence and Good Friday is a fast
-Friday is a day of penance because Jesus died on Friday
THE CHATACHESIS READS: "'For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning' [Heb 4:15]. By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert." (CCC 540).
Focus: Giving up something we enjoy for Lent, doing of physical or spiritual acts of mercy for others, prayer, fasting, abstinence, going to confession, and other acts expressing repentance in general.
40 Days – because it is traditional: number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible. Thus Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28), the spies were
-not including Sundays Sundays are celebratory so not included for “mourning”
-Ash Wed-Holy Saturday Ash Wednesday cross on forehead. Day of Fast and abstinence (18-60) Fast; eat one meal, and snacks Abstinence; (14+) no meat but eggs are allowed (Daniel 10:1- 3) By giving up good things and denying them to ourselves we encourage an attitude of humility, free ourselves from dependence on them, cultivate the spiritual discipline of being willing to make personal sacrifices, and remind ourselves of the importance of spiritual goods over earthly goods. We are to remember penance all year not just in
Easter
All Fridays are days of abstinence and Good Friday is a fast
-Friday is a day of penance because Jesus died on Friday
THE CHATACHESIS READS: "'For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning' [Heb 4:15]. By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert." (CCC 540).
Focus: Giving up something we enjoy for Lent, doing of physical or spiritual acts of mercy for others, prayer, fasting, abstinence, going to confession, and other acts expressing repentance in general.
40 Days – because it is traditional: number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible. Thus Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28), the spies were