““The Lenten Journey The Lenten Journey 2007”2007”

Blessed Sacrament Parish MissionBlessed Sacrament Parish Mission

Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona

March, 2007March, 2007

A Forty Day JourneyA Forty Day Journey

The “Acts” of the Unfolding The “Acts” of the Unfolding JourneyJourney• The Overture – from Ash The Overture – from Ash

Wednesday to the First Wednesday to the First Sunday of LentSunday of Lent

• The First Act – from the First The First Act – from the First Sunday of Lent to the Fourth Sunday of Lent to the Fourth Sunday of LentSunday of Lent

• The Second Act – from the The Second Act – from the Fourth Sunday of Lent to Fourth Sunday of Lent to Palm SundayPalm Sunday

• The Third Act – Holy WeekThe Third Act – Holy Week• The Climax – The TriduumThe Climax – The Triduum

Opening PrayerOpening Prayer

““Holy Mary, Mother of God,Holy Mary, Mother of God,You have given the world its true light,You have given the world its true light,

Jesus, your Son – the Son of God.Jesus, your Son – the Son of God.You abandoned yourself completely to God’s callYou abandoned yourself completely to God’s call

And thus became a wellspringAnd thus became a wellspringOf the goodness which flows forth from him.Of the goodness which flows forth from him.

Show us Jesus. Lead us to him.Show us Jesus. Lead us to him.Teach us to know and love him,Teach us to know and love him,

So that we too can becomeSo that we too can becomeCapable of true loveCapable of true love

And be fountains of living waterAnd be fountains of living waterIn the midst of a thirsting world.”In the midst of a thirsting world.”

Veni, Sancte Veni, Sancte SpiritusSpiritus

(Come, Holy Spirit)(Come, Holy Spirit)

The Journey in 2007The Journey in 2007

Time is a gift from Time is a gift from God.God.

It is not true that so-It is not true that so-and-so has more time and-so has more time than I do.than I do.

How do I choose to How do I choose to use the gift of time use the gift of time that God gives me?that God gives me?

This Lenten journey is This Lenten journey is different than Lent different than Lent 2005 or 2003 or 1995.2005 or 2003 or 1995.

A Journey Requires PreparationA Journey Requires Preparation

From where have I From where have I come?come?

Where am I now?Where am I now?

Where am I going?Where am I going?

Maps for The Lenten JourneyMaps for The Lenten Journey

PrayerPrayer

FastingFasting

AlmsgivingAlmsgiving

Sources of SinSources of Sin

DevilDevil

FleshFlesh

WorldWorld

Seven Capital (Deadly) SinsSeven Capital (Deadly) Sins

PridePride GreedGreed GluttonyGluttony AngerAnger EnvyEnvy LustLust SlothSloth

Two Great CommandmentsTwo Great Commandments

Love the Lord your Love the Lord your God with all of your God with all of your heart, mind, heart, mind, strength and soul.strength and soul.

Love your neighbor Love your neighbor as yourself.as yourself.

The Maps of the JourneyThe Maps of the Journey

PRAYERPRAYER

FASTINGFASTING

ALMSGIVINGALMSGIVING

GODGOD

SELFSELF

NEIGHBORNEIGHBOR

Deadly SinsDeadly Sins

PridePride GluttonyGluttony EnvyEnvy AngerAnger LustLust SlothSloth GreedGreed

DevilDevil FleshFlesh WorldWorld DevilDevil FleshFlesh FleshFlesh WorldWorld

The Journey BeginsThe Journey Begins

PridePride GluttonyGluttony EnvyEnvy AngerAnger LustLust SlothSloth GreedGreed

PrayerPrayer FastingFasting AlmsgivingAlmsgiving PrayerPrayer FastingFasting FastingFasting AlmsgivingAlmsgiving

INDICATIVEINDICATIVE

God loves us God loves us unconditionally unconditionally without any limits, without any limits, due to no merit of due to no merit of our own.our own.

INVITATIONINVITATION

IMPERATIVEIMPERATIVE

We must repent and We must repent and convert, to turn convert, to turn toward the love of toward the love of our God.our God.

RESPONSERESPONSE

The Christian VocationThe Christian Vocation

As followers of As followers of Christ, our vocation Christ, our vocation is to love.is to love.

Love is not just a Love is not just a feeling or emotion. feeling or emotion. Love is a decision.Love is a decision.

Sin is also a Sin is also a decision of the decision of the mind and will. It is mind and will. It is a decision not to a decision not to love.love.

Sowers of God’s PeaceSowers of God’s Peace Sow a thought, reap Sow a thought, reap

an action.an action.

Sow an action, reap a Sow an action, reap a habit.habit.

Sow a habit, reap a Sow a habit, reap a character.character.

Sow a character, reap Sow a character, reap a destiny.a destiny.

PRAYERPRAYER

Opens us to God Opens us to God Discernment = God Discernment = God

is at the centeris at the center Humbles us in the Humbles us in the

Presence of GodPresence of God Establishes Establishes

relationship with relationship with AbbaAbba

Keeps us directed Keeps us directed in our journeyin our journey

Prayer Leads Us in FreedomPrayer Leads Us in Freedom

Freedom = the Freedom = the ability to do what ability to do what ought to be doneought to be done

License = the License = the ability to do ability to do whatever I pleasewhatever I please

Prayer Strengthens Us in GracePrayer Strengthens Us in Grace

Grace = Our Grace = Our participation in the participation in the life of Godlife of God

God fills us with God fills us with grace.grace.

FASTINGFASTING

Unites us with the Unites us with the poorpoor

Develops self-Develops self-disciplinediscipline

Controls our Controls our sensual appetitessensual appetites

Increases gratitude Increases gratitude in our heartsin our hearts

Isaiah 58:3-11Isaiah 58:3-11

Deflate and InflateDeflate and Inflate

During the Lenten During the Lenten Journey, we must Journey, we must empty ourselves of empty ourselves of self – deflate.self – deflate.

Once we are emptied Once we are emptied of self, then we are of self, then we are inflated with the inflated with the Spirit = breath = Spirit = breath = ruahruah

The 23The 23rdrd Channel ChannelThe TV is my shepherd. I shall not want. The TV is my shepherd. I shall not want.

It makes me lie down on the sofa. It It makes me lie down on the sofa. It leads me away from the faith. It leads me away from the faith. It destroys my soul. It leads me in the destroys my soul. It leads me in the path of sex and violence for the path of sex and violence for the sponsor’s sake. Yea, though I walk in sponsor’s sake. Yea, though I walk in the shadow of Christian the shadow of Christian responsibilities, there will be no responsibilities, there will be no interruption for the TV is with me. It interruption for the TV is with me. It prepares a commercial for me in the prepares a commercial for me in the presence of my worldliness. It anoints presence of my worldliness. It anoints my head with humanism and my head with humanism and consumerism, my coveting runneth consumerism, my coveting runneth over. Surely, laziness and ignorance over. Surely, laziness and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life, shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house watching and I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.TV forever.

ALMSGIVINGALMSGIVING

Builds up treasure Builds up treasure in heavenin heaven

Combats Combats materialism with materialism with simplicitysimplicity

Unites us with Unites us with those who are poorthose who are poor

Increases gratitudeIncreases gratitude Establishes equity Establishes equity

of gifts from Godof gifts from God

““The average age of the world’s The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have 200 years. These nations have progressed through the progressed through the following sequence:following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;From bondage to spiritual faith;From spiritual faith to great From spiritual faith to great

courage;courage;From great courage to liberty;From great courage to liberty;From liberty to abundance;From liberty to abundance;From abundance to selfishness; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to complacency;From selfishness to complacency;From complacency to apathy;From complacency to apathy;From apathy to dependency;From apathy to dependency;From dependency back again to From dependency back again to

bondage.” bondage.”

Balance in the JourneyBalance in the Journey

We live in this world We live in this world but we are not of this but we are not of this world.world.

The letter of the law The letter of the law and the spirit of the and the spirit of the law.law.

Interior intention and Interior intention and exterior act.exterior act.

Obligation or freely Obligation or freely chosen?chosen?

Need or want?Need or want?

Believe what you Believe what you read.read.

Teach what you Teach what you believe.believe.

Practice what you Practice what you teach.teach.

Follow the LeaderFollow the Leader

A children’s gameA children’s game The name of the The name of the

game also explains game also explains the rules of the the rules of the game.game.

But we must know But we must know who the leader is who the leader is before we can before we can follow the leader.follow the leader.

Matthew 16:13-20Matthew 16:13-20

““Who do people say that Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”the Son of Man is?”

““But who do you say But who do you say that I am?”that I am?”

Peter declares the Lord Peter declares the Lord to be his leader.to be his leader.

Matthew 16:21-23Matthew 16:21-23

Jesus begins teaching what it means to Jesus begins teaching what it means to be the Messiah, the Son of God.be the Messiah, the Son of God.

Peter tries to protect the Lord.Peter tries to protect the Lord. ““Get behind me, Satan! You are an Get behind me, Satan! You are an

obstacle to me. You are thinking not as obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”God does, but as human beings do.”

Matthew 4:10 “Get away, Satan!”Matthew 4:10 “Get away, Satan!” What is the difference between Peter What is the difference between Peter

and Satan?and Satan?

Conditions of DiscipleshipConditions of DiscipleshipMatthew 16:24-25Matthew 16:24-25

If you wish to come after Christ, you If you wish to come after Christ, you must:must:

Deny yourselfDeny yourself Take up your cross Take up your cross Follow ChristFollow Christ

The Four ShipsThe Four Ships

____________ship____________ship

____________ship____________ship

____________ship____________ship

____________ship____________ship

The Four ShipsThe Four Ships

LeaderLeadershipshipJesus ChristJesus Christ

RelationRelationshipshipPrayerPrayer

DiscipleDiscipleshipshipFastingFasting

StewardStewardshipshipAlmsgivingAlmsgiving