Dear Brother Knight:
I wanted to share with you an article sent by a military friend of mine. He is a parishioner of St. Nicholas Church in Laurel, MD. Please note that the season of Lent is among us.
How will you observe the Season of Lent, especially in this Jubilee Year of Mercy?
Lent is always a busy time here at St. Nicholas Church. This year, we highlight the Works of Mercy, in addition to the traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Keys to a Successful Lent
Be intentional and serious about your spiritual preparation for Easter.
If you want to rise to new life with Jesus on Easter, spend some in Lent praying, fasting, giving, and being merciful.
Prayer
Prayer is conversation with God. It is speaking “cor ad cor†(heart to heart), and drawing closer to our heavenly Father. We pour out our hearts to Jesus, but we also listen to him. In this way, we build our relationship with him. Prayer is both individual and communal. For your individual prayer time, here are some resources:
- Lent 2016 by the Word Among Us, a daily devotional booklet. Available after all Masses for just $1 suggested donation.
- Take 5 for Faith (www.takefiveforfaith.com), a Website where you can sign up for a daily email of an inspirational quote, alllowing you to take five minutes of quiet meditation.
- Sacred Space (http://www.sacredspace.ie), a Website with short prayer services for morning, noon, evening and night prayer, hosted by the Irish Jesuits, which is available in 20 languages.
- Busted Halo (www.bustedhalo.com), with an interesting online daily Lenten calendar (like an Advent calendar, for Lent) aimed at young adults, but open to all.
- The Wild Goose Series (http://thewildgooseisloose.com), is a free, 14-video series hosted by Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, that helps you discover a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Fasting
Fasting is one of the most ancient practices linked to Lent. Simply put, fasting is the opposite of feasting. Fasting is a powerful spiritual tool that brings insight, freedom and a deep connection to God and God’s people. There are only two obligatory fast days: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, when all Catholics 18 to 60 may eat two small meals and one regular meal, but no snacks.
These are the minimum requirements, but we urge you to do more (if you are able) – to go without food for one, two or three meals on the Fridays of Lent. Not just cutting down, but going without. Or try a bread-and-water-only fast, and fast for spiritual renewal rather than as a way to lose weight. Additionally, all Catholics age 14 and older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.
Almsgiving
We give to those in need because of our baptismal commitment to live as followers of Jesus, who commanded us to love God, self, creation and others.Giving alms is a sign of our care and an expression of our gratitude for all that God has given to us.
Giving extends beyond monetary donations to include donations of time and talent through acts of charity and justice. Some ways to give include:
Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy
This Lent, look for ways to put mercy into action on a daily basis.
- Feed the hungry-CRS Rice Bowl - a great way to impact the whole world, as well as form your family in caring for the least among us.Feeding your family counts! Thank God for having enough food, and pray for those families who are hungry this day.
- Give drink to the thirsty-Learn about The Water Project (https://thewaterproject.org) and help bring clean water to the poorest of the poor in our world.
- Clothe the naked-Look through your closet and donate clothes to the Thrift Store, Salvation Army or some other charity.
- Shelter the homeless-Become a Homeless Shelter Hospitality Volunteer in your city.
- Visit the sick-Visit friends and relatives when they are sick or recuperating. Take a funny card to cheer them up.Volunteers are needed to visit sick or home-bound parishioners. Also needed are volunteers to take Communion to the sick or home-bound. Contact the church.
- Visit the imprisoned-Prisoners don't just live in a correctional institution; they include those fighting addiction, those trapped in abusive relationships and those living in poverty or ignorance. Provide a helping hand whenever you can.
- Bury the dead-This very practical work of mercy is also one that is much needed. The cost of a funeral and burial can be very high, and it is a kindness to donate money to help others bury their beloved dead.The Trappist monks of New Melleray Abbey in Iowa make simple, inexpensive caskets as a work of mercy. They can be ordered and shipped anywhere. Learn more at http://www.trappistcaskets.com/product-category/caskets.
For more information on Knights of Columbus events and initiatives, please visit kofc.org or our council's site and follow online on Facebook and Twitter.
Do not forget! Please invite your friends and family to our Knights of Columbus Council 12240 Pancake Breakfast on February 21st between 8:00AM-12:00PM .GET INVOLVED!
Thank you,
Jude Hodges
Grand Knight Council 12240
St. Bonaventure Catholic Church
1301 SW 136th Ave.
Davie, FL 33326
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