I STOLE THIS LIST!

These Ten Questions to Ask Yourself are in a post on Rachel Held Evans' blog.  She has gathered some great thoughts to help us get the most out of this Lenten season.

1. When I wake up on Resurrection Sunday morning, how will I be different?

 

2. Is there a habit or sin in my life that repeatedly gets in the way of loving God with my whole heart or loving my neighbor as myself?  How do I address that habit over the next 40 days?

3. Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness or pursue reconciliation?

4. What practical steps can I take to carve out time for daily contemplation?

 

5. What spiritual discipline do I need to improve upon or want to try?

 

6. What are some things in my life that I tell myself I need but I don’t?  Can I give one or two of them up for 40 days?

 

7. Why am I giving this particular thing up?  How does giving it up draw me closer to God and prepare me for Easter? 

 

8. What am I going to tell myself when self-denial gets hard?

 

9. Is it necessary/helpful for me to share the nature my fast with others or should I keep it private?

 

10. What do the ashes mean to me this year?  What does baptism mean to me this year?

You can read the entire article, “40 Ideas for Lent,” here.

First Week of Lent: A Time to Grow

Think about spring. Remember how plants push their way up through the earth. Trees sprout leaves and buds. Birds sing their best songs.

In spring we plant new seeds. We cut away dead twigs and stems. We prepare for a new life. Jesus talked about death and new life. He held up a seed and said, “I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24


During lent we clear a place to plant seeds of faith and love. We work and pray. We grow in faith and love.

Stations of the Cross for Children and Families
Jelly Bean Prayer Activity 

Lenten Video Series: First Sunday in Lent

Join us at the Parish Fish Fry on Friday, March 2nd, following Stations of the Cross at 6:00. Volunteers are needed to help with the Fish Fry. Please contact the St. Ambrose parish office @ 801-485-5610 for more information.

Works of Mercy

The seven corporal works of mercy:
1. Feed the hungry.
2. Give drink to the thirsty.
3. Clothe the naked.
4. Shelter the homeless.
5. Visit the sick.
6. Visit the imprisoned.
7. Bury the dead.

The seven spiritual works of mercy:
1. Counsel the doubtful.
2. Instruct the ignorant.
3. Admonish sinners.
4. Comfort the afflicted.
5. Forgive offenses.
6. Bear wrongs patiently.
7. Pray for the living and the dead.

Fasting

In the Liturgy of the Hours for today, Ash Wednesday, the first reading in the Office of Readings is Isaiah 58:1-12:

Shout for all you are worth,
raise your voice like a trumpet.
Proclaim their faults to my people,
their sins to the House of Jacob.

They seek me day after day,
they long to know my ways,
like a nation that wants to act with integrity
and not ignore the law of its God.
They ask me for laws that are just,
they long for God to draw near:
‘Why should we fast if you never see it,
why do penance if you never notice?’

Look, you do business on your fast-days,
you oppress all your workmen;
look, you quarrel and squabble when you fast
and strike the poor man with your fist.
Fasting like yours today
will never make your voice heard on high.

Is that the sort of fast that pleases me,
a truly penitential day for men?
Hanging your head like a reed,
lying down on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call fasting,
a day acceptable to the Lord?

Start A New Lenten Tradition!

My 8 year old made this sign during the October 40 Days for Life Campaign

Last year, our family was blessed to participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign, held annually during Lent and again in the fall.  40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life effort that consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting, 40 days of peaceful vigil, and 40 days of community outreach.  During the vigil, the pro-life faithful gather in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic at 160 South 1000 East in Salt Lake City to pray the rosary together.  A collection of groups arrange to take shifts each week during Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, with the goal of having someone praying during all business hours throughout the campaign.

During this Lenten event, volunteers from St. Ambrose are coordinating to cover the shifts on Wednesdays from 1:00-6:00, beginning on Ash Wednesday (that's tomorrow!).  We need more volunteers who are willing to commit to pray for one hour, each week during Lent.  If you are not able to commit to every week, I encourage you to sign up for the weeks that you can.

40 Days for Life was a powerful addition to our family's Lenten devotions last year.  My children learned more about praying the rosary, and we were all blessed by the focused time in prayer as a family.  40 Days for Life was an amazing opportunity to share our pro-life values with our children. We have even been blessed with many new friendships, through participation in this ministry.

But in the end it is not about me, or you, it is about the thousands of innocent lives that are lost each day in the holocaust of abortion.  During this focused time of prayer we have the opportunity to make an impact, through our prayer and presence.   Worldwide, 40 Days for Life has mobilized over 500,000 people, saved more than 5,000 lives from abortion, led to the conversation of 61 abortions workers, and seen 19 facilities close.  This is something tangible we can do to make a difference!

There will be a kick-off candlelight vigil held tonight from 7:00-8:00 at the Planned Parenthood in Salt Lake City.  You will be able to pick up signs and devotions to use during the campaign.  All participants must read the Code of Conduct and sign a Statement of Peace.  For more information or to sign up for a shift, contact Heidi, heyhohideo@hotmail.com, or Holly, hollyerinbruce@gmail.com.

"...we will stand up every time that human life is threatened. When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, we will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life. When a child is described as a burden or is looked upon only as a means to satisfy an emotional need, we will stand up and insist that every child is a unique and unrepeatable gift of God, with the right to a loving and united family..."

~ Pope John Paul II, Homily at the Holy Mass at the Capital Mall, October 7, 1979 ~

PovertyUSA

I read a Tweet posted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops about their program PovertyUSA that sent me on Curious George adventure on the internet. What are people saying about poverty out there in the blogosphere? Can we end it? Why is it still an issue in this day and age? Are we any closer to solving the problem?

There are as many answers to these questions as clicks you could click on your keyboard. 

After all my clicking, I came away with this—we have the resources to end poverty, unfortunately, we lack the motivation needed to actually get the job done. I want to say we can end it, because we can, it’s just that we won’t. Sad, but true. Nevertheless, many good people are working hard and doing their best, and who knows what might happen someday. One thing I am absolutely sure of, though, is if we all did something, anything to help the effort, poverty would decline. So let’s get started…

We Can End It. (Chin up attitude!)

Join us in breaking the cycle of poverty and helping people move themselves out of PovertyUSA. Learn more about community organizations that support self-sufficiency, improve communities and encourage independence.

"Catholicism does not call us to abandon the world but to help shape it. This does not mean leaving worldly tasks and responsibilities but transforming them...Social justice and the common good are built up or town down day by day in the countless decisions and choices we make."  US Bishops, Everyday Christianity

Visit the Poverty USA facebook page.
Join the facebook event

Poverty...what's life like at the poverty line? It's one impossible choice after another—between food and medicine, getting to work or paying the heating bill. But there are ways out.

Get involved: First Fridays for Food Security