{"id":16542,"date":"2020-03-21T19:29:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-21T19:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssvmusa.org\/?p=16542"},"modified":"2020-03-25T16:22:16","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T16:22:16","slug":"shared-wisdom-for-an-unusual-lent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ssvmusa.org\/index.php\/2020\/03\/21\/shared-wisdom-for-an-unusual-lent\/","title":{"rendered":"Shared Wisdom for an Unusual Lent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Lent 2020 is, on the one hand, turning out to be rather unusual. However, on the other hand, it calls all the more strongly for the annual revival of all the \u201cstandard\u201d classic Lenten practices.<\/p>\n

We wish to share with you five insights from the religious life and monastic traditions<\/strong> which might be helpful in living well these days and weeks of COVID-19, a demanding time of our common history. May this \u201cshared wisdom\u201d be helpful in living well this unusual Lent.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Shared Wisdom #1: Pray Without Ceasing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Prayer constitutes our most fundamental relationship with God. It is the raising of our mind and heart to Him in a posture of speaking and listening.<\/p>\n

The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2558<\/a> draws on the words of Saint Th\u00e9r\u00e8se of the Child Jesus who described prayer this way:
\n\u201cFor me, prayer is a surge of the heart;
\nit is a simple look turned toward heaven,
\nit is a cry of recognition and of love,
\nembracing both trial and joy.\u201d Manuscrits autobiographiques<\/em>, C 25r.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Little Flower plays the lead role of St Joan of Arc in a play she composed in her honor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In section 2663-2669 the CCC also offers a beautiful teaching on the most basic of all prayers: the Name of Jesus<\/strong><\/em>. The same article goes on the discuss the essential call \u201cCome, Holy Spirit<\/strong><\/em>\u201d and the role of communion with the holy Mother of God<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

A large portion of the Catechism is dedicated to a detailed teaching on the Lord\u2019s Prayer<\/strong><\/em> (CCC 2759 – 2865<\/a>; see also the general index of themes<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are also some particular prayers which are appropriate for the season of Lent.<\/p>\n

The Stations of the Cross<\/strong> for example, trace the steps of Jesus from Pilate\u2019s judgement to the burial in 14 Stations. The USCCB website<\/a><\/strong> offers a series of thematic versions, and the Stations of the Cross of the Great Jubilee by St John Paul II<\/strong><\/a> can be found on the Vatican website as a PDF file.<\/p>\n

Even if you cannot pray them walking between mounted stations in a church, these reflections can be prayed in front of a crucifix with interspersed genuflections, or in a simple path in your own back garden.\u00a0 If you would like to “join us” online, we live-stream the Stations of the Cross on Fridays of Lent at 3pm (EST) from the Provincial House in Washington, DC.\u00a0 Past recordings of the Stations of the Cross<\/a> <\/strong>remain on our website, and the text of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri<\/a><\/strong> can be accessed online as well should you wish to pray them “with us” at any time.<\/p>\n