Lent Season

Shalom, how do you do? ever since the last entry since 16 July 2010. The activities for this Youth blog suddenly 'on-hold'. Just so you know that this Blog is created to have all sort of biblical information ( as long it is relevant and accurate). Apart from me (Deideian), there is also several writer who're suppose to help me write in this blog but yeah, a good information is hardly to come by nowadays plus there's a bunch of church activities happening since last year till today ( too many, I'll share it with you guys when the time's come). Now today I'm ma going to write/copy-and-paste about lent season. I'm still a rookie when it comes to Bible study and I do reckon all the Christian teens, adolescent, young adult and any of you who're interested to pursue more knowledge about Christianity, make this blog as 'one' of your platform to share useful information so that everyone can enjoy the benefit.

Source: http://fullhomelydivinity.org/Lenten%20customs.htm

In the language of worship, there are words and phrases that are not translated, words that seem to need no translation.  Amen is such a word, a Hebrew word that indicates assent, "so be it," and the word by which a congregation expresses its participation in a prayer said by the officiant.  Kyrie eleison, Greek for "Lord, have mercy", is a phrase that continued in use long after Latin became the official language of liturgy of the West.  Alleluia is a word that is heard throughout the Christian world, whether the language of the local liturgy is Latin or Greek, Slavonic or Armenian, French or English.  It is a word that has occasionally been translated but, more often than not, has been left untranslated.  It is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew word Hallelujah, a word which means "praise the Lord."  In the West, alleluia came to have a particular association with the celebration of the most important feast of the Church year, Easter, and this led to some unique, beautiful, interesting customs.

The association of alleluia with Easter led to the custom of intentionally omitting it from the liturgy during the season of Lent, a kind of verbal fast which has the effect, not of depressing the mood of the liturgy, but of creating a sense of anticipation and even greater joy when the familiar word of praise returns.  Indeed, when the alleluia does return, it is with an incredible flourish.  Before the proclamation of the Gospel at the Great Vigil of Easter, alleluia is sung to an exceptionally elaborate tone.  It is a moment of unrestrained fervor as a singer intones the elaborate alleluia, and the congregation sings it back.  The cantor raises the pitch and sings the alleluia a second time, and again the congregation echoes it back.  Once more, the cantor raises the pitch, and the congregation responds.  And then the good news is proclaimed that Christ is risen from the dead.  The dramatic effect of the return of the alleluia is heightened considerably by the fact that no alleluias have been heard since Lent began.

In order to inaugurate the alleluia fast, the custom arose of "burying the alleluia" before Lent begins as a reminder that we do not use it at all during the forty days of Lent.  We do not use it at church.  We do not use it at home.  We let it rest, as it were, during Lent, so that when it reappears on Easter, we may hear it afresh.  In fact, once it returns on Easter, we give it no rest at all, repeating it again and again, in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.  There are various ways to "bury the alleluia."  Here is one that combines this custom with a popular Easter custom.  The Alleluia Egg is designed to help us bury the alleluia during Lent and to put alleluia in our midst during Easter.

The Alleluia egg can be any kind of egg.  A fresh egg is probably not a good idea, but a hard-boiled egg, a blown egg (a whole egg shell with the yolk and white removed through pinholes at either end), a wooden egg, or even a plastic egg all will work.  The egg may be decorated in any way at all, but the decoration must include the word alleluia written in relatively large, legible letters on the egg.  It may be written once, or many times.  You will also need a container of some sort to hold the egg while it is "buried".  A small box or a bag are suitable containers.

On Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, have a fling.  Put your Alleluia  egg in the center of the table where everyone can see it. Eat pancakes (the English custom) or have a Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") party.  Dress up in costume, invite company for dinner.  And, whatever else you do, sing alleluia as often as possible.  If you and your guests are musical, sing hymns that have the word alleluia in them. Perhaps you know the song, "Allelu, allelu, allelu, alleluia.  Praise ye the Lord."  Any and all alleluia songs will do.  And, if you cannot or will not sing, then saying alleluia will have to do: say it, shout it, whisper it.  When supper is served, begin and end grace with some alleluias. When praising the food, be sure to praise God, as well, as in "Hallelujah, these pancakes are delicious."  It is quite all right to use the Hebrew form, as well as the variations of pronunciation found in other languages.  Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" would be great dinner music, or you could have a sing-along to your favorite recording.

After supper, it is time to put your Alleluia egg in its bag or box and hide it some place:  under the dining room table, in a drawer or a closet, some place it can lie hidden for the forty days of Lent.  Everyone should go together to do this.  Make a procession and perhaps have the youngest member of the family carry the egg.  Sing alleluia songs as you go and, as you "bury" the egg, whisper it until the burial is complete.  During the season of Lent, do not say the word.  Let it lie buried.

On Easter Day, in the morning, at Easter dinner time, or when you come home from church, gather around the burial place.  Bring out the container, open it, and remove the Alleluia Egg.  As you do, sing "Jesus Christ is risen today" or other Easter hymns and songs that say alleluia.  Shout alleluias.  Use them in your personal prayers and in your family prayers.  Say alleluia with grace at dinner (and do so throughout the season of Easter.)  Let the word be new and fresh.  Let it help you praise the Lord that Jesus is alive.  Take the egg to some prominent place (the table where you eat regularly, on top of the TV where you gather regularly, etc.) and leave it there for the fifty days of Easter.  Eggs  are wonderful reminders of Jesus' resurrection.  As the chick bursts from the egg, so Jesus burst from the tomb.

On the Day of Pentecost, quietly put the egg away in your china closet or some place where you keep family valuables.  Bring it out again as we approach the next Shrove Tuesday.  Make the Alleluia egg a family tradition, an heirloom along with your Christmas crèche.

Here are some Lenten ideas, thoughts, and crafts for you.  Please let me know if I can be of more assistance regarding your class lesson on Lent or ideas to foster Lent throughout this 2011 Lenten Season.

~ William O’Leary (woleary@kcascension.org)

How Much Do You Know About Lent?

True or False

1.  Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. T

2.  During Lent we fast which is to go without food on certain days. T

3.  Lent recalls the time that Jesus and the disciples were out in the desert. F – only Jesus

4.  A cross is marked on our foreheads with blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday. T

5.  We only do fast on Ash Wednesday. F – also on Good Friday

 

6.  We are supposed to do almsgiving during Lent, which is giving to the poor.  T – and giving to our neighbor

7.  We are supposed to do abstinence during Lent, which is praying and meditation so we can become more like Jesus.  F – Abstinence is do go without.  We must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and during all Fridays of Lent.  As a way of growing closer to Christ and doing penance many people abstain from things like gossip, snacking, sweets, TV, etc. 

8.  We do fast and abstinence on Good Friday. T

9.  Lent ends on Good Friday. F – Lent ends on the Evening of Holy Thursdsay because then the The Easter Triduum (The 3 holiest days of the Year).  It begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.It end of Holy Thursday and the Triduum begins (the 3 holiest days of the Year. 

10.  Lent is the time before Christmas.  F- It is the Time before Easter.

11.  The color of Lent is green. F - Purple

12.  There are 30 days in Lent, not counting Sundays. F - 40

13.  The last Sunday in Lent begins Holy Week. T

14.  No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday. T- It is the celebration of Our Lords Passion with a communion service.

15.  We must do abstinence every Friday during Lent. T – from meat

16.  Lent is considered a time of penance and discipline. T

17.  Lent is a time to prepare for Jesus’ ascension. F – for Jesus Resurrection

18.  Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. T (the liquid may include milk and juice).

19.  We fast and do abstinence every day during Lent. F (it is not required but many people do fast and abstain everyday during Lent. 

A Lenten Prayer

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling in them.

Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.

Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.

Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.

Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger; feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.

Fast from worry; feast on trust.

Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.

Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.

Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.

Fast from hostility; feast on nonviolence.

Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.

Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.

Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.

Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.

Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.

Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.

Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.

Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.

Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.

Gentle God, during this season of fasting and feasting, gift us with your presence

so we can be a gift to others in carrying out your work. Amen.

— William Arthur Ward (1921-1994)

(American author, educator, motivational speaker)

Well, that is a portion of information that i've quote from several websites, if there's any inaccurate information, plase do let me know ya? by the way, im Anglican.. ahehe.. 

Prepared by: Deideian

http://www.deideian.com