Hey there,
You’ve got that day circled in red on your calendar.
It’s going to be special. A wedding … a graduation … or a banquet.
You’ve got to get ready!
Line up a date if you’re single. A babysitter if you’re a parent.
Find a new dress, new shoes. A new tie.
Schedule a manicure and pedicure. A haircut.
The more special the occasion, the more time, energy, and money you spend. All to ensure it is special.
In the Catholic church, Easter is one of the most special events. The Lord invites us to celebrate His only son’s resurrection.
We’ve got 40 days of Lent to prepare, beginning a week from today. This week’s issue of Genuflect is here to help … so you can make the most of Lent and experience the joy of Easter as He wants us to experience this very special occasion.
So circle April 21st on your calendar … check out the resources below. And start your planning!
Keep Believing-
Katy Barrilleaux
Editor, Genuflect
Resources
How to Pregame Lent: Septuagesima, Carnival, and Shrovetide
As the Church enters the traditional pre-Lent season, here is all you need to know about how to have one last celebration.
How to Prepare for Lent
Prayer, fasting, and charitable giving continue to be quite good practices during Lent or at any time. But, you might think, how do I prepare myself for this season? What needs to happen within so that I can practice with more integrity and intention whatever I’m doing on the outside? Here are three suggestions.
Practical Advice for Lent
Another Lent is here. I’ll skip the usual pre-Lent, “if you didn’t plan,” talk and get straight to the help. You need a pre-Lent checklist and you need some practical advice. Don’t fret—I’ve got you covered. Focus on these things and Easter will be, hands down, the best day of the entire year.
25 Great Things You Can Do for Lent … Besides Giving Up Chocolate
Challenge yourself this year, and go beyond the usual practice of “giving up” something. Now is a great time to take stock of your spiritual life and to grow in it. Not sure where to start? Check out these 25 ideas.
Fasting and Abstinence: More Than Laws of the Church
The familiar penitential practices of the season of Lent have deep roots in Scripture and Church practice through the centuries.
This Lent, Don’t Let Sin Win
As we prepare for the Lenten season, it should give us pause to remember that every time we give something else a greater power than God, we are blaspheming. When we let sin win, we live in the world of our own making and not in the world God created.
An Invitation to Lent
If you want your kids to actively participate in the Lenten season, to do more than just give something up, to expand their hearts for one another, for the world, and for Christ, and to understand and embrace sacrifice, try these three small, simple practices that are the very heart of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Can we Welcome Time Alone with our Thoughts This Lent?
We are officially a culture that is opposed to spending time inside our heads. And why not? It’s something to which we are not at all accustomed. Instead, every moment of every day is cluttered with noise. There’s music and podcasts in the car, texting and social media on the phone, earbuds or Beats at the gym, and TV and smart speakers once we get home. Here’s a case for changing that during Lent.
Observing Lent as a Family
Leanne Willen writes: As I began preparing for the upcoming Lenten season, I wondered if there were other families who needed just one small idea or two to help them make the most of the days leading up to Easter. I thought I’d share what we do to observe Lent as a family in hopes of encouraging other families to grow together in faith during this special time of year.
Family Activities Calendar for Lent
CatholicMom.com has been hard at work behind the scenes to help you and your family get all set for Lent, which begins March 6! Don’t miss this year’s printable Lenten calendar that’s packed with simple ideas for celebrating the season of Lent day by day. This calendar is filled with prayer ideas, some simple crafts, and things to do — Pinterest abilities not required.
Evangelize
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Photo by Peter Syme on Unsplash
