Pre-Lent Starts Today

[7_Sorrows]

I love to celebrate the Ember Days! They roughly coincide with the beginning of the 4 seasons and also liturgical times. They originated from pagan customs which were “Christianized.” Each season has 3 Ember Days-a Wed, a Fri and a Sat. The idea is to offer prayers and sacrifices for blessings upon the new season. Its a great activity to do with kids-you can do spiritual crafts associated with the season (one idea you can pursue is God as the Author of nature) and incorporate prayers and songs into it. Reading the Ember Day traditional Masses for each of the 3 days, as a family, is great…the Sat Masses tend to be rather long, illustrating the importance the Church once placed on this celebration. Some believe the Ember Days go all the way back to the Apostles.

The Rogation Days are similar to the Ember Days. There is one Rogation Day in April, which is of Roman origin and 3 days prior to the Ascension, which is of French Catholic origin. These penitential days are related to the season of Spring, beseeching God’s mercy and abundance. The Rogation Days were traditionally celebrated with beautiful public processions, litanies and Holy Mass.

These are the things that made one passionate about the Catholic Faith. IMHO, these traditions should be continued and perhaps slightly re-worked for a new generation. If we give our children banality, can we really blame them for leaving the Faith?

Here’s a link with more info: [The Tradition of Ember Days in the Catholic Church

](http://www.catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Ember_Days.htm)

thank you!

 

[Faith1960]

I, too, am participating in “The Best Lent Ever” and read “Rediscovering Jesus” for Advent. Great book, you will enjoy it.

I will be giving up:
Alcohol
Sweets

Last year I added a nightly Rosary, a habit I have kept up. So this year in addition to doing a nightly Rosary, I plan to do additional daily spiritual reading (I am even considering making spiritual reading the only type of reading I can do during Lent- I’m a compulsive reader and if I limit the type of reading I can do I would certainly get a lot of spiritual reading done). I also am looking at a prior year’s suggestion on here to do a Daily Examen.

I also am going to strive to do additional penances such as Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, additional fasting.

I haven’t come up with one for almsgiving yet though.

I just finished Rediscover Jesus. Great book.

 

[Faith1960]

I, too, am participating in “The Best Lent Ever” and read “Rediscovering Jesus” for Advent. Great book, you will enjoy it.

I will be giving up:
Alcohol
Sweets

Last year I added a nightly Rosary, a habit I have kept up. So this year in addition to doing a nightly Rosary, I plan to do additional daily spiritual reading (I am even considering making spiritual reading the only type of reading I can do during Lent- I’m a compulsive reader and if I limit the type of reading I can do I would certainly get a lot of spiritual reading done). I also am looking at a prior year’s suggestion on here to do a Daily Examen.

I also am going to strive to do additional penances such as Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, additional fasting.

I haven’t come up with one for almsgiving yet though.

I’m going to try to pray the rosary daily.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

In the Ordinariate, we today celebrate Septuagesima, which marks 70 days before Easter (Third Sunday Before Lent). This is meant as a time of reflection and preparation for Lent, which is in turn of course a season penance and preparation for Easter.

Some time ago, I heard a report of someone’s faint ridicule of the idea of Pre-Lent because of its being “a preparation for a preparation.”

I found a 2011 piece by Fr. Benedict Nivakoff, O.S.B., at the website of the Monastery of St. Benedict at Norcia, Italy. This piece looks like a homily for Septuagesima. Homily or not, it may be instructive reading about having a preparation for a preparation, especially in reply to anyone who may be inclined to agree with that ridicule.

Septuagesima: A preparation for the preparation

 

[CF_Mathews]

thank you!

You are quite welcome!

 

[IrishAm]

Some time ago, I heard a report of someone’s faint ridicule of the idea of Pre-Lent because of its being “a preparation for a preparation.”

I found a 2011 piece by Fr. Benedict Nivakoff, O.S.B., at the website of the Monastery of St. Benedict at Norcia, Italy. This piece looks like a homily for Septuagesima. Homily or not, it may be instructive reading about having a preparation for a preparation, especially in reply to anyone who may be inclined to agree with that ridicule.

Septuagesima: A preparation for the preparation

A wonderful link. I’m going to print it out to save for every Septuagesima to come . . .