Lent Week 1
Since this is our first year as a family to observe Lent together, I'd like to keep a diary of sorts with pictures of the things we've done and remember our first experience through this season.
For the family, I opted to follow Rich & Rooted Passover. It's organized with three study days a week, a day of Prayer, a day of Alms (either giving money or acts of service), a day of feasting, and a day of worship.
We began on Ash Wednesday with our own little ceremony. We talked about the purpose of Lent being a time to remember that we are made from the dust, and we will return to dust. Thinking of the end of our life encourages us to contemplate what it means to live fully and well today. We spent some time talking about what it means to live well and to live fully, a life more abundant, and what things might keep us from living that way, things that hold us back. We all wrote those things down on a sheet of paper and burned them in a small bowl. After that, we set up a "Provocation Station." This is a place we will set small items as we study through Lent, reminders of the things we have learned about the life of Jesus. We can come here anytime and spend some time thinking about how we're doing at ridding our heart of those hindrances, remember Jesus's words, his trials in life, his sacrifice. We set up a Wilderness Candle that reminds us of his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness, and how his light will always guide us through these times in our life.
On Thursday, we studied beauty: how Jesus takes these ashes and gives us beauty. Friday we volunteered with the International Rescue Committee for the afternoon and helped set up an apartment for an incoming refugee family.
Sunday, we feasted and worshipped together. We made Capirotada, a traditional Mexican bread pudding. The bread is soaked in a syrup that is made with cinnamon sticks and cloves, which represent the cross and nails of the crucifixion, and the broken bread represents the broken body of Christ.
The Lent Project has been really good for me so far, and given me a lot to ponder and contemplate. I love the artwork, the music, and the poetry. It was especially exciting for me that one day there was a song in Latin, and thanks to studying it alongside my kids the past three years, I could actually understand the words to the song:
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Where there is love and care, there is God.
We gathered as one in the love of Christ.
For the family, I opted to follow Rich & Rooted Passover. It's organized with three study days a week, a day of Prayer, a day of Alms (either giving money or acts of service), a day of feasting, and a day of worship.
We began on Ash Wednesday with our own little ceremony. We talked about the purpose of Lent being a time to remember that we are made from the dust, and we will return to dust. Thinking of the end of our life encourages us to contemplate what it means to live fully and well today. We spent some time talking about what it means to live well and to live fully, a life more abundant, and what things might keep us from living that way, things that hold us back. We all wrote those things down on a sheet of paper and burned them in a small bowl. After that, we set up a "Provocation Station." This is a place we will set small items as we study through Lent, reminders of the things we have learned about the life of Jesus. We can come here anytime and spend some time thinking about how we're doing at ridding our heart of those hindrances, remember Jesus's words, his trials in life, his sacrifice. We set up a Wilderness Candle that reminds us of his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness, and how his light will always guide us through these times in our life.
On Thursday, we studied beauty: how Jesus takes these ashes and gives us beauty. Friday we volunteered with the International Rescue Committee for the afternoon and helped set up an apartment for an incoming refugee family.
Sunday, we feasted and worshipped together. We made Capirotada, a traditional Mexican bread pudding. The bread is soaked in a syrup that is made with cinnamon sticks and cloves, which represent the cross and nails of the crucifixion, and the broken bread represents the broken body of Christ.
The Lent Project has been really good for me so far, and given me a lot to ponder and contemplate. I love the artwork, the music, and the poetry. It was especially exciting for me that one day there was a song in Latin, and thanks to studying it alongside my kids the past three years, I could actually understand the words to the song:
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Where there is love and care, there is God.
We gathered as one in the love of Christ.
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