Preparation for Lent

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Quinquagesima Sunday
Opening Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and

enkindle in them the fire of Your love.
V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, You

have taught the hearts of Your faithful. In the same Spirit
help us to know what is truly right and always to rejoice
in Your consolation. We ask this through Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
 The Fifth Joyful Mystery—The Finding in the Temple

And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus
remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And thinking
that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought
him among their kinfolks and acquaintance. And not finding him,
they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that,
after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of
the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that
heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers

Luke 2:43-47
 Lent FAQ
1. When does Lent start?
2. What is Lent?
3. Why aren’t Sundays part of Lent?
a) Can I “cheat” on Sundays?
4. Why 40 days?
5. What is Ash Wednesday all about?
6. Why are ashes made into a cross on the forehead?
7. Where do we get the ashes?
8. Who can receive ashes?
9. Is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation?
 Lent FAQ
10. Do we have to fast and abstain from meat on Ash
Wednesday?
11. Why is fish not considered meat?
12. What are the other days of fast and abstinence?
13. Why do people give up things during Lent?
14. What else is required during Lent?
 Paenitemini
On Fasting and Abstinence, by Pope Paul VI - Feb. 1966
“Be converted and believe in the Gospel!”
The Church is holy because of her Founder, but she is defective in
her members and in continuous need of conversion and renewal.
We take on penitential sufferings for ourselves and others.
To follow Christ, every Christian must renounce himself, take up
his own Cross and participate in the sufferings of Christ.
Flesh and spirit have contrasting desires. Penitential practices
liberate man, as we still find ourselves chained by our senses.
 Temptations of Jesus
The Spirit’s 1st command to Jesus leads Him to the desert “to be
tempted by the devil.” (Matt. 4:1)
Jesus can identify with us, because He has suffered and been
tempted.
The desert is a placing of obedience and healing. It is the opposite
of the Garden.
 The First Temptation
“If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become
loaves of bread.” (Matt. 4:3)
One interpretation is that Jesus was hungry, and this miracle would
satisfy his own hunger.
Another interpretation is Satan was tempting Jesus make physical
loaves to satisfy the physical hunger of the Jews. Satan was
tempting Jesus away from becoming the Bread of Life.
Jesus replied, “One does not live by bread
alone, but by every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”
 The Second Temptation
“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘He will command his angels concerning you, and with their hands
they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
(Matt. 4:5-6)
The devil comes as a theologian and asks Jesus to prove He is
God.
Jesus replied, “You shall not put the Lord, your
God, to the test.”
 The Third Temptation
The devil took Jesus to the top of a
very high mountain and showed Him
all the kingdoms of the world and
said, “All these I shall give to you, if
you will prostrate yourself and
worship me.”
Jesus already has earthly power!
Without heavenly power, earthly
power is nothing.
Jesus and Bar-abbas: two different messiah figures.
Jesus replied, “Get away, Satan! As it is written: ‘the Lord, your God,
shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve.’”
Stump the Dummy