Lent, the Journey to Easter
Beginning Prayer
God, come to my aid.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father...
As it was in the beginning...
Reading
Like the forty years of the Exodus of Israel, the season of Lent immerses the Church in a new exodus, like the one Jesus inaugurated after his baptism, when he went into the desert led by the Spirit and remained there for forty days.
Like Jesus we must fight against everything that seduces us and tempts us turn away from God: power, riches, pleasure ....
We withdraw to the desert, a "paschal" environment where we, helped by the grace received in our baptism, allow the Spirit to detach us from our false ideas of God, so that we can recognize his true face and become more like him.
Let us live Lent as a time of conversion and preparation for the great feast of Christ's Resurrection. Let it be the occasion to renew ourselves in our faith, divesting ourselves of everything that blurs the divine image in us, so as to clothe ourselves with Christ.
Psalm
Hear, Father, the cry of your people!
Hear, Father, and send the Savior!
People yearn for freedom,
they want to rise again.
The enslaved people are already rising towards the future.
People yearn for peace,
they want to rise again.
The enslaved people are already marching towards the future.
The journey is hard, the sun is hot, the walk is slow.
But a leader leads the way,
giving encouragement and peace.
Hear, Father, the cry of your people!
Hear, Father, and send the Savior!
Silence for adoration.
Reflection
At various times in our lives we feel threatened by dangers and temptations as Jesus did in the desert. Our God-less society may test our faith in the goodness and even in the existence of God. Day and night it torments us. God sends someone into our lives to renew our trust in the Lord. When the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, he tried to distort the meaning of trust. Christ by his life, death and resurrection restores the sense of authentic trust, which rests simply on being with God.
You who feel abandoned, say to the Lord: "You are my advocate.
You who feel defenseless, say to the Lord: "You are my protection.
My God, I trust in you.
Like a chick under its mother's wings,
like a child in its father's arms, I trust in you.
I always trust in you.
Even if I am left alone in the struggle,
even if my voice is lost in the wilderness, I trust in you.
I always trust in you.
Even if I am in pain,
and everything looks dark, I trust in you.
I always trust in you.
You do not command your angels to deliver me from my problems.
But I trust in you,
because you are always with me;
you will not leave me to face danger alone,
you will be with me in the trials of my life.
and, though I may die at any moment,
I believe that You will give me a long life,
and let me see your salvation:
for me and for all people.
Silence for meditation.
Reflection
All people face tough times in their lives, serious temptations, or unexpected dangers. We do not know the hour, for it comes like a thief in the night, when we least expect it. From these tough times only the Father in heaven can deliver us. Trust in him.
--Enter within yourself for a moment. Ponder the weaknesses with which you struggle most often. Renew your trust in the Lord and ask Him to help you.
--Now consider your strengths. How can you use these to grow in your trust in God and to help others during this Lenten season.
Quiet Time Reflection Prayer
Petitions.
-For those who are in danger of losing their faith because of the attraction of power, money, luxury, pleasure, human glory....
-For those who are tempted by the passions of hatred, revenge, greed, ....
-For all those who despair and rebel against God because of their sickness, loneliness, poverty....
(Add your own intentions…)
Our Father.
Prayer.
We ask you, Father, do not let us fall into temptation and let us always be docile to the Spirit. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessing
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and lead us to eternal life. Amen.
(From Adoración Nocturna en el hogar translated and adapted)