Unless you’re Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Episcopalian, or Methodist there isn’t a season of Lent. Growing up I never really understood the whole season of Lent. I was just forced to practice it. As I became an adult and became more involved in my church, I started to study many of the Catholic teachings and there symbolism.
I remember growing up Lent meant fish on Friday and Ash Wednesday and giving up one of your vices, but I never understood why were celebrating this season. I’m not going to get into the whole meaning here, but if you want to know more read here: http://www.crivoice.org/cylent.html.
For four years I have taught Catechesis (faith education for children) at my local church - Epiphany of the Lord. I have to do a lot of lesson planning and preparation before class on Wednesdays and because of this I have learned a lot of what I never have understood about Catholicism. The kids keep me on my toes. They ask me questions sometimes that I never would have thought of. Sometimes I cannot answer them and I ask them to “table it” until next week and I will get back to them. I do make an effort to find out the answers for them, because I don’t want them lost like I was about what things meant in our religion. This year we are studying the Ten Commandments in depth. Every time we complete a commandment I make them make a collage of what the lesson meant to them and I display them every Wednesday as a reminder of what we studied. It really helps in keeping the lesson top of mind.
As I digress - what does Lent mean to me now? Well it is a season of atonement, but it’s more than that. Father Jack, our residing priest, said it graciously one Sunday morning in mass “Lent is not giving up, but giving in.” What he meant was Lent does not signify you have to give up something, that’s kind of self serving, but give back something. Be a great advocate in your community. Time is a precious commodity, giving up your time for someone else is a big sacrifice. In my effort to be the good Catholic and in my resolution to give back this year I hope to step up and volunteer more this Lenten season. I’ve even asked my 6th grade kids to do a service project for Lent. I gave them options like: take some socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes etc to a homeless shelter or nursing home, take a bag of dog food to their local pet shelter, help an elderly neighbor with the trash or walking their pets, etc.
And remember your don’t have to be Catholic to give back, everyone needs a hand
I remember growing up Lent meant fish on Friday and Ash Wednesday and giving up one of your vices, but I never understood why were celebrating this season. I’m not going to get into the whole meaning here, but if you want to know more read here: http://www.crivoice.org/cylent.html.
For four years I have taught Catechesis (faith education for children) at my local church - Epiphany of the Lord. I have to do a lot of lesson planning and preparation before class on Wednesdays and because of this I have learned a lot of what I never have understood about Catholicism. The kids keep me on my toes. They ask me questions sometimes that I never would have thought of. Sometimes I cannot answer them and I ask them to “table it” until next week and I will get back to them. I do make an effort to find out the answers for them, because I don’t want them lost like I was about what things meant in our religion. This year we are studying the Ten Commandments in depth. Every time we complete a commandment I make them make a collage of what the lesson meant to them and I display them every Wednesday as a reminder of what we studied. It really helps in keeping the lesson top of mind.
As I digress - what does Lent mean to me now? Well it is a season of atonement, but it’s more than that. Father Jack, our residing priest, said it graciously one Sunday morning in mass “Lent is not giving up, but giving in.” What he meant was Lent does not signify you have to give up something, that’s kind of self serving, but give back something. Be a great advocate in your community. Time is a precious commodity, giving up your time for someone else is a big sacrifice. In my effort to be the good Catholic and in my resolution to give back this year I hope to step up and volunteer more this Lenten season. I’ve even asked my 6th grade kids to do a service project for Lent. I gave them options like: take some socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes etc to a homeless shelter or nursing home, take a bag of dog food to their local pet shelter, help an elderly neighbor with the trash or walking their pets, etc.
And remember your don’t have to be Catholic to give back, everyone needs a hand
1 comment:
What a great lesson to learn and practice!
I must of subconciously wanted to copy you on my blog background....you are my hero!
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