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February 7, 2008
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Welcome to Faith Formation Update, a free monthly
e-newsletter for catechetical leaders with a focus on parish catechesis beyond textbooks
and classrooms. I'm Jeanne Hunt. In each issue I offer a brief starter and
my "Every Family" column. My co-worker and fellow
religious educator Joan
McKamey offers media resources and ideas in her "Seen
and Heard" column. Our co-worker Chuck
Blankenship suggests other faith formation resources for adults from St. Anthony Messenger
Press in his column, "Sowing Sampler." Finally,
we encourage YOU to share views and program ideas about this month's topic on our online
bulletin board, "Faith Formation Forum." Lent
is upon us, and the time for fasting, prayer and almsgiving should be the nuts and bolts
of our catechesis. This issue promises to support that effort with a lot of insights into
the reasons Catholics embrace the 40 days of Lent.
—Jeanne Hunt
p.s. You're receiving this either because you signed
up, or because you're a loyal customer of St. Anthony Messenger Press. We will never send
you unwanted e-mail. There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page.
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When the discussion about Lent comes up in the classroom,
the following question is unavoidable: “What are you giving up for Lent?” Children,
who love to set grandiose goals, often deny themselves candy, soda, potato chips
or other favorite treats. Older Catholics see Lent as the perfect time to start a diet,
stop smoking or overcome another bad habit. Such goals are admirable, but the real reason
behind giving up something during Lent is much more about reordering the soul than the
menu.
Fasting is meant to imitate the 40 days Jesus fasted from food in
the desert. Fasting helps us put aside everything and devote ourselves to God’s presence. It
isn’t so much about cleaning up our bad habits as it is thinking of ourselves less
and becoming more aware of God. As a penitential practice, fasting should always be coupled
with prayer and good works. In Catholic
Traditions: Treasures New and Old, Joanne Turpin explains, “Fasting is not
meant to be life-denying, but rather to be understood as freeing one from worldly attachments….” This
book is an excellent resource for explaining the reasons for Catholic traditions to young
believers. Turpin says, “Traditions are the threads that tie together succeeding
generations of believers.” So it is with the tradition of fasting. When students
catch on to the spirit of the tradition, it will strengthen their faith in the practice.
Plan to take some class time before Lent or in the first days of Lent
to talk about the penitential traditions of the season. Explain how the customs of increasing
fasting, prayer, good works and almsgiving make up a working team that guides us back to
putting God first in our lives. Then it is time to develop a Lenten program for your class.
Let the students discuss how they can meet the criteria of each of the four disciplines
of the season. Here are a few ideas:
* Proclaim a Matthew 25 Fast – Each student chooses one
of the verses of Matthew 25 and develops a fast based on feeding the hungry, caring for
the sick, etc.
* The Fasting Jar – Place a large jar on the class prayer
table. The students are encouraged to find ways to save money by fasting from carryout
lunches, snacks, soda, etc. The money saved is placed in the jar and given to the poor.
One industrious class went one step farther, agreeing that those caught complaining or
talking with disrespect would be obliged to put a quarter in the fasting jar.
* The Purple Paper Chain – At the beginning of Lent,
each student is given a supply of purple paper (1" x 5"). Whenever a student
completes an act of fasting or does a good deed, he or she writes a description of the
act on the paper. The class creates a daily paper chain with the purple papers. The object
is to create a Lenten chain that surrounds the walls of the classroom or the hallways by
Easter.
* A Rock in My Pocket – On Ash Wednesday, pass out rocks
(small enough to fit in a pocket) to all students. Tell students to write on the rocks
one word to describe their fast and to carry the rocks throughout Lent. On Good Friday,
the rocks are placed at the foot of the cross during veneration.
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Anyone who’s been on a diet knows the enhanced
allure of forbidden food. Restricting food intake while on a diet involves sacrifice
with hope of improved health and appearance as a result. Our Church encourages the practice
of personal sacrifice during Lent—and some of those sacrifices involve food. Abstaining
from meat on Fridays and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are small sacrifices
we are asked to make each Lent.
While some become scrupulous about the disciplines of fasting and abstinence,
such as fretting over the bacon bits on a salad, it’s important to dig deeper to
understand why we are asked to make these sacrifices. Table fellowship, particularly eating
with tax collectors and other sinners, was a significant part of Jesus’ ministry.
This drew criticism from the Pharisees, who were concerned not only about what type of
people with whom Jesus ate but also with the rituals of proper eating mandated by Jewish
law. Jesus’ response shows that he is more concerned with relationship than ritual.
Click here (RealMedia | Windows
Media) to hear what Franciscan Father Richard Rohr has to say about this in the audio
retreat Sermon
on the Mount.
While the sacrificial disciplines of fasting and abstinence can be
quite meaningful, connecting us in mind and body in some small way with the sacrifice of
Jesus, we must put greater emphasis on the relationship that is to be strengthened by our
actions. Use this audio program for your own Lenten retreat. Share sections of it with
the pastoral staff or with adults at Lenten adult faith-formation gatherings. Offer it
to small Christian communities for their reflection and sharing. This year of Matthew (Year
A) in our lectionary cycle is an excellent time for an intentional exploration of the
Sermon on the Mount.
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It’s been 150 years since the Virgin Mary appeared
to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. We’ve all heard the marvelous
story of the miracle of Lourdes, and about the miraculous qualities of the water from the
grotto. But it all seems like ancient history, something “back then” and “ over
there.” Is it really relevant to 21st-century Catholicism?
Two new books have just been published that tell the inspirational
story of Lourdes for today’s believers: Lourdes
Today: A Pilgrimage to Mary’s Grotto, from Servant Books, and The
Miracle of Lourdes: A Message of Healing and Hope. Each of these books offers a
special perspective on the meaning and significance of Lourdes, both as a historical event
and as a place of miraculous importance.
In Lourdes
Today, author Kerry Crawford invites us to appreciate with her what it means
to travel in pilgrimage to Lourdes. Her interviews with other pilgrims and her descriptions
of the sights and sounds at Lourdes bring alive the miraculous grotto for the armchair
pilgrim.
Father John Lochran, a former chaplain to English-speaking pilgrims
to Lourdes for more than 10 years, retells the familiar story of Lourdes, exploring with
deep insight and new appreciation the miraculous events of Lourdes in light of modern theology
and spirituality. His insights will transport you to this beloved shrine as we commemorate
the special gift that has come to be known as The
Miracle of Lourdes.
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