Lent - Ash Wednesday 2022

February 25, 2022
Author: Hannah DeVivo

"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity." -Joel 2:12-13

What is the Significance of Lent?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and is observed for the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. The 40 days of Lent are focused around three topics: praying, fasting, and almsgiving. This signals the time for reflection and renewal.

During Lent, we connect with our Lord by removing distractions from our lives and clinging to the Passion of Jesus. We do this by reading sacred Scripture in our prayer, giving up our worldly pleasures by fasting, and sharing our time and talent through volunteering or giving alms.

Our faith enriches and deepens when shared with others. This Lent, use our "Walk With Me Devotional Guide" to go on a journey with our Lord. This book comes in a pack of 12 - perfect for sharing with your friends or a group from church!

"You are dust and to dust you shall return"

These words uttered from the priest as he presses the ashes in a cross-shaped motion on our foreheads hold a deep sense of nostalgia for all Catholics.

The ashes, which come from the burned palm branches from Palm Sunday, remind us of Jesus' sacrifice for our salvation. The use of ashes appears often throughout the Bible. In times of mourning and repentance, men and women would put ashes on their heads and sackcloth on their bodies. "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" -Daniel 9:3. The ashes reiterate that this world is temporary, and we have an eternal life awaiting us.

Preparing Your Home for Lent

Decorating your home for Lent may not be as popular as Christmas, but equally justifiable! When decorating, the whole family gets to share an experience together with visual reminders and an overall feel that is penitential. It will serve as a constant reminder during Lent and naturally open up conversation with your family members about how their Lent is going.

In the Gospel we learn of Jesus' temptation in the desert. After fasting for forty days and forty nights, He was approached by the devil who appealed to His human nature in an attempt to cause Jesus to sin. Adding burlap, mini cacti, sand, and thorns to your home décor is a great way to remember how Jesus overcame temptation in the desert. Our Lent in a Bag kit is a perfect start!

Lenten Traditions

Families align their tradition with the Three Pillars of Lent. Many practices include fasting and abstinence for sacrifice, confession and prayer for repentance, and donating or giving to the community for almsgiving.

Lent is a beautiful time to engage in family traditions or start new ones. Here are some possible activities you and your family may enjoy:

1. Family Lenten Prayer Jar
   • Each member of your family can write down a prayer request in the morning
   • The request is then placed in the jar (a plate or a bowl can work as well)
   • Each night, your family can engage in prayer and deep spiritual connection
   • Check out our Prayer Dish and Prayer Cards which are perfect for this activity!
2. 40 Days of Giving
After a big meal on Fat Tuesday, you can sit down together with your family and decide what you can do together for each day of the Lenten season.

Ask each family member for some input so everyone's voice is being heard. You can decide things like giving gifts or time to each other, to specific groups, or your church. These acts of giving will involve the time and energy of each family member. You can choose to clean, repair, or paint for your neighbors, school or church. You may decide to volunteer at a food bank or deliver groceries to those in nursing homes and visit the sick in hospitals. Here are some awesome ideas for donating.

The possibilities are endless and not only will you be able to reach so many people in need, you will create lasting family memories.

Ever since I was a little girl, my family has made soft pretzels on Good Friday.

A fun fact on pretzels! - In the early centuries of the Church, Christians would fast on bread and water during the seasons of Advent and Lent. One day a creative young Italian monk rolled his Lenten dough of water, flour, and salt into the shape of two arms crossed in prayer. He called his new bread bracellae--little arms--in Latin, and gave it to children as a reward for learning their prayers. German Christians called these breads bretzels, and over time, they became known as pretzels! The pretzel symbolizes everlasting life, and the three large holes remind us of the Holy Trinity. It is always a wonderful time to bond as a family and ponder God's love.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16

Include Your Children in Lent!

It's never too early to begin teaching the beauty of faith to your children! Remember how each season seemed like an eternity when we were little? Get your kids involved and excited to learn about Lent in their play and with activities.

Our fun and interactive 2022 Children's Lenten Activity Calendar has a little message and invitation for each day that will keep Lent in your child's mind and heart, helping them count down the days until Easter Sunday! We have many other Lenten products for children including Color-Your-Own posters and prayer cards, activity books, offering boxes, Lent in a bag, and so much more! Head on over to our website and check them out!

Before You Go

What are some of your favorite Lenten traditions?
What are you planning for Lent 2022?
Did we help with activity ideas and plans?

I would LOVE to hear from you. Send me an email to catholic-living@autom.com

I wish you all a beautiful and penitential Lent! May you feel God's presence more intimately than ever before and follow Him more trustingly. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the links below for more tips and information.