Happy Ash Wednesday!
Here are some resources for Lent. These will help you dig deeper into the season and rise further with Easter. Remember, your Lenten sacrifices should consist of (1) prayer, (2) fasting, and (3) almsgiving -- why these three?? Have you ever wondered that? Here's another blog post that answers that very question.
To get started, check out the infographic below from NCEA, the National Catholic Educational Association:
Think of Lent as a time to evangelize!
Before I get into this, the Gospel today warns against the "blaring of trumpets" before your almsgiving and Lenten sacrifices. But there's nothing wrong with letting your actions speak for themselves, or even provoke questions.
Here's a question you might get today: "Hey, man -- what's that dirt on your head?" First off, if it's someone from another Christian denomination rebuking you for the practice of wearing ashes, inform them that it's an ancient tradition with Scriptural roots even in the Old Testament:
I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3).It's also the 9th chapter of Daniel in which he prophesies the coming of the Messiah.
The question might also come from somebody that just has no idea about Christianity or someone completely "unchurched." This is an amazing time to talk about how you, as a Catholic, deal with the sin in your life. Tell them how Jesus, not only burns away the sin in your life like ash, but purifies and redeems you, helping you to turn away from sin going forward.
Or, you may get questions about not eating meat on Fridays or not eating candy, whatever your fasting observance might be. Use this opportunity to talk about redemptive suffering!
Here are some more ways to evangelize during Lent from the USCCB.
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