KEEPING THE SEASON their eating to one full meal and two lighter IS COMING meals for the day. How do we prepare? Follow the progress and customs Those individuals who have a medical condi- of Lent on our parish web site, tion in which or abstaining may be www.stjudefw.org/liturgy.html considered harmful are not obliged to fast or abstain, but should perform some other act of Bring your palms penance or charity. -- - Mass with blessing and im- Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of to Sunday Mass position of ashes on March 9 is celebrated at both fast and abstinence. In the United States, all 6:15 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. on March 5/6, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. It is Sunday not a holy day of obligation, but we celebrate the Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the Eucharist and receive the mark of the ashes, a lifeblood of fasting. If we have not all three sign of our penitence. together, we have nothing. --Peter Chrysologus, Fifth century Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis. --Almsgiving - This is the giving of money, Spare, O Lord, spare your people : gifts in kind (food, clothing, etc.), and gifts of and do not be angry with us forever. time and work for those in need. This is a --Lenten Responsory Christian duty at all times, but Lent reminds us the Lord commands that we love and serve. --Lenten Disciplines - By the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving and prayer the Let us fast in such a way that we lavish our church keeps Lent from Ash Wednesday until lunches upon the poor, so that we may not the evening of Holy Thursday. All of the faithful store up in our purses what we intended to and the catechumens should undertake serious eat, but rather in the stomachs of the poor. practice of these three traditions. Failure to --Caesarius of Arles, Sixth century observe any penitential days at all or a sub- stantial number of such days must be considered --Prayer - Pray, meditate and read scripture at serious. The observance of Lent is an obligation home and the Chapel. Join in the prayer of the for all Catholics. Church. Come to daily Mass, with Rosary before Bring your blessed Palm Sunday palms from 8:15 a.m., Friday evening Mass during Lent at last year or previous years. Keep them with Look with your loving care, we ask you, 6:00 p.m. Attend Evensong with its psalms, you in the pew. At the end of Mass, we Lord, on the fast we have begun. May the prayers, candlelight and incense at 5:00 p.m. on bring them forward. discipline we keep with our body be exercised Sundays. Stations of the Cross are on Fridays at with sincerity of mind. --Missal of Pius V 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. After 11:00 a.m. Mass, they will be burned, --Fasting & Abstinence – The law of absti- Our prayer is for the general good, for the and the ashes used on Ash Wednesday. nence obliges those 14 years of age and older common good. When we pray, we do not pray not to eat meat. for our own single selves; we pray for all The law of fasting obliges ages 18 through 59 God’s people, because they and we are one. to refrain from eating between meals and to limit --Cyprian of Carthage, Third century Getting ready for Lent Vegetable Alicha Lent in Ethiopia with children A traditional Lenten recipe from Ethiopia To the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Lent 2 Tbsp. olive oil means a period of fasting when the 1 medium onion, chopped fine faithful undergo a rigorous schedule of Make an Alleluia banner 4 carrots, peeled and sliced prayers and penitence. This fast of 55 Cut out the letters of “alleluia” from bright- 2 potatoes, peeled and diced colored felt. Attach them to a large piece days is observed with greater rigor than 1 small red bell pepper, sliced any other fast and it is a test of one’s of white felt. Or make a bright “alleluia” 1 vegetable bouillon cube poster with crayons or markers. Give it a . One who fails to keep it is 1 tsp. powdered ginger not considered a good Christian. The place of honor in your house. 1 tsp. turmeric At Sunday Mass on March 5/6 we bring Salt and pepper to taste faithful should abstain from all food forward our blessed palms and sing our 1 medium cabbage, sliced except bread, water and salt until sunset. last alleluias before . At home after Pious people may eat nothing at all Mass, take the alleluia banner from its during the day. All meat is forbidden, place of honor, sing your favorite alleluias, In a soup pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion over medium low heat. and also diary products. On all the “bury” the banner in a drawer or a dark fasting days only one meal is allowed place. When the onions are caramelized, add the On Easter, singing alleluias, “resurrect” carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. Stir for 2-3 and this is to be taken in the evening. On the banner and return it to its place of minutes. Add the vegetable bouillon, ginger, Saturdays and Sundays people are honor. turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste.Add 1 allowed to eat in the morning. cup water and cook for about 10 minutes Daily services are conducted in all the adding more water to keep the vegetables churches. Priests regularly attend night Lenten Sacrifice Beans moist, if needed. services from midnight to 7 a.m. On or about Ash Wednesday, dye dried After 10 minutes add the sliced cabbage Qibela is the Sunday before Lent, when lima beans purple to be used as counters and stir well. Add small quantities of water people eat their full. Lent begins on the in a jar. Every time a Lenten sacrifice is to the Alicha when it dries up. When the vegetables are tender and moist next day, Monday. During Lent many made, place a bean in the jar. Beans are grow tired and thin. seeds which, if put in the ground, appear in their tasty juice (about 30 minutes), to die only to spring forth with new life. remove from the heat and serve warm. This is what Our Lord said we must do if we would have life in Him. He that seems Mark your calendar now: to lose his life shall gain it. The beans Holy Thursday, April 21, 7:00 p.m. – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper remind us that daily death to self in one Good Friday, April 22, 12:30 p.m. – Celebration of the Lord’s Passion self-denial after another is the dying which Holy Saturday, April 23, 9:00 p.m. – Easter Vigil will find for us new life in Him.