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A Forty-day Retreat
By Steven Ellair

When I was a young child, I used to dread the approach of the season of Lent. It always meant that I was going to have to give something up for six weeks and that Mass would take on a much more somber tone. My brother, sister and I would invariably give up some combination of candy, television or junk food which, by week three, would drive us to search for possible Lenten loopholes: Was there such thing as a “free” day? Wasn’t our mother violating Church law by enforcing a no-meat rule on Friday even though we were all under the age of fourteen? Couldn’t we at least enjoy lobster or shrimp since they technically weren’t meat?

Our complaining and conniving certainly solidified Lent as a time of penance for our parents, but the underlying lessons taught by those early experiences prepared the way for a deeper understanding and celebration of the Lenten season that we enjoy today. I now look forward to Lent, seeing it as an important and necessary time to slow down, reflect and renew. I embrace Lent as an extended time of retreat in communion with those preparing to be initiated into the faith community at the Easter Vigil. The practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are no longer identified as difficult chores, but rather the very means to a richer spiritual life and a deeper commitment to the core values of our faith.

As we journey through the season of Lent this year, let us take the time to more fully enter these weeks as a period of reflection, renewal and retreat. There are a wide variety of resources available to enrich our experience and help us guide others through this significant time in the liturgical year, so let us begin today. By looking at Lent with fresh eyes and engaging in the season more deeply, we will all be better prepared to joyously celebrate the gift of new life at Easter!

The following resources are available online at FaithFirst.com and BlestAreWe.com to help you enjoy a rich and meaningful Lenten season for yourself and for those you minister to:
• Information about Lenten practices, see “Living the Liturgical Year” on the main page of http://www.faithfirst.com.
• Suggestions for catechists on how to incorporate Lenten activities http://www.faithfirst.com/html/catechist/liturgicalYearAct/liturgicalYearAct.html.
• Service activity suggestions in “Make a Difference” http://www.faithfirst.com/html/catechist/makeADifference/makeADifference.html.
• Weekly Gospel reflections for families http://www.faithfirst.com/html.family/gospRef/gospRef.php.
• Lectionary materials for catechists to use with children http://www.faithfirst.com/html/catechist/lectionary/lectionary.html.
• Seder meal outline and ideas for implementation, see “Seder Meal” on the home page of www.faithfirst.com.
• Information in Spanish and English about Baptism in Latin America, see “En Español” or “Baptism” on the main page of www.faithfirst.com.
• Information in Spanish and English about Holy Week processions in Latin America, see “En Español” or “Holy Week Processions” on the main page of www.faithfirst.com.
• Lenten activities and prayer services for catechist to use with children http://www.blestarewe.com/parish/catechist/feastseasons/main.html.
• Lenten activities and prayer services for Catholic school teachers to use with children http://www.blestarewe.com/school/teachers/feastseasons/main.html.
• Lenten Celebration in Spanish http://www.blestarewe.com/misc/seasonal.html.

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