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Lent 2015: Make Your Hearts Firm

Pope Francis encourages a time of grace and renewal for the Church and believers. Let Lent be a journey back to our true selves, embracing love and forgiveness.

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Lent 2015: Make Your Hearts Firm

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  1. LENT 2015

  2. MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCISFOR LENT 2015 “Make your hearts firm” (Jas 5:8) Dear Brothers and Sisters, Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each community and every believer. Above all it is a “time of grace” (2 Cor 6:2). God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart. He knows us by name, he cares for us and he seeks us out whenever we turn away from him. He is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent to what happens to us. Pope Francis leads the Ash Wednesday Mass on February 18th in Rome

  3. ‘Come back to me with all your heart, don’t let fear keep us apart.’ This Lent let us turn for home in the company of Jesus, coming back to the house of the ‘Father’, to our true home, to our true selves. Lent: A Journey We are setting out on a journey together, as the followers of Jesus the Christ. Our journey with him is to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room, to Gethsemane, to the House of Caiaphas, to the Praetorium of Pilate, to the hill of Calvary, and then to the tomb, later the Empty Tomb! He is Lord, and he is walking this road with us, and opening up the Scriptures to us, so that our hearts will ‘burn within us’ (Luke 24). Lent the Home-coming

  4. Lenten prayer: And the Lord said: I will give you a new heart, and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts, and giving you hearts of love. I will put my spirit within you, and make you live by my ways, careful to observe my decrees. (Ezekiel 36: 26-27) Lent—a season of Fasting and feasting. This holy season, let us think about our call to:

  5. Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism. Fast from criticism; feast on praise. Fast from self-pity; feast on joy. Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness. Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence. Fast from jealousy; feast on love. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from fear; feast on faith. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others. Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude

  6. Over these Lenten days, May the Holy Spirit give us the strength to act justly, the courage to love tenderly and the faith to walk humbly with our God, (Micah 6:8) that we might rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus at Easter.

  7. Prayer of intercession for Lent We pray for the Church, that it may speak for those whose voices are not heard and communicate a vision of a world made whole. We pray for world leaders, that they may listen to the poor and marginalised and work together for a fairer distribution of the earth’s wealth and resources. We pray for ourselves, that we may reflect on our own lives and seek to make changes whenever we fail to be good neighbours by remaining strong in the face of injustice.

  8. Response : Love one another as I have loved you God of love, In a world where debt repayments and unfair trade rules enslave whole countries, We hear a voice calling: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Where millions are imprisoned by poverty and famine The cry is heard: “Love one another as I have loved you.” While others are gripped by greed and apathy The command is still made: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Through our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ Empower us to listen and respond to your call So that through the liberation of the sacrifice made by Your Son, all may enjoy fullness of life. Amen.

  9. God our Father,You formed us from the dust of the earthAnd brought us to new life in ChristThrough the waters of Baptism. We ask you to change our heartsAs we journey through these forty days of Lent. Help us to see Jesus in everyone we meet,And to serve him in all persons,Especially the poor, the sick and the lonely.By your grace, may our prayers and sacrifices this LentHelp us to grow closer to each other and to you,As one family in Jesus.We make this prayer to you in His name.Amen.

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