The Journey to Pascha

 

Prayer

 

-Pray attentively, In or out of church
-Say Grace before your meals
-Pray daily the Lenten prayer of St. Ephrem
-Read the daily suggested Scripture readings
-Pray together as a family (before Icon corner)
-Attend Wednesday & Friday Lenten Services
-Come to church early- extra time in prayer
-Pray for others and their needs

 
 

 
Fasting

 

-Keep the Friday fast and Wednesday
-Eat. simple meals
-Eat a 'sacrificial meal' at least once a week
-Abstain from anything between meals
-Fast from things that distract or keep you
    from prayer and good works
-Fast from rash Judgment, anger, laziness, envy,
    gossip; and you will find that the Lord will
    fill these spaces

 

 
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner!

Almsgiving

 

-What money you save on your simple or sacrificial meats, donate to the needy

-Contribute to Holy Friday donation
-Find the dictionary definition of the word 'almsgivings'

 
 

Byzantine Lenten Regulations 2005

Strict Abstinence

 

The law of strict abstinence (fast) forbids the use of meat, eggs and dairy products.

 All of the adult faithful of the Eparchy who receive Holy Communion are obliged to observe Strict Abstinence.

  Strict Abstinence is to be observed on the First Day of the Great Fast, Monday, February 7th, and on Great and Holy Friday, March 25th.

 

Abstinence

 

The law of abstinence forbids the use of meat, permitting the use of eggs and dairy products.

All the faithful of the Eparchy who receive Holy Communion are obliged to  abstain.

Abstinence is to be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays during the Holy Season of the Great Fast.

 

The Sunday of Cheese-fare

 

"The Lord my Creator took me as dust from the earth and formed me into a living creature, breathing into me the breath of life, and giving me a soul .... But Satan the deceiver enticed

me by food, using the serpent as his instrument, and sepa­rated me from the glory of God, and by death delivered me to the earth. 0 Master, in Your compassion, call me back to You."

 

Vespers for Cheese-Fare Sunday

 

 

The Serpent also knows our deepest longings. He knows the secrets of our hearts, our hopes and desires. As the master deceiver, he knows exactly how to mask evil and make it appear so appealing, so inviting, so good. Like Adam and Eve, we also take his bait; and as soon as we say yes to it, the Evil One unmasks it, and we again feel tI1at awful feeling in the pit of our stomachs. Once again we have fallen; once again the saga of Adam and Eve is replicated in each of us.

   Adam and Eve fell from Paradise because they did not fast.

'They allowed their appetites to rule them. We too have taken the bait and fallen. How do we return to Paradise? We do what Adam and Eve refused to do. We find our way back by fasting.

We now stand on the threshold of the Great Fast. We are about to enter the arena in which we do battle with the powers of evil within us. Let us embrace this holy Fast with confidence. Let us fast, not only from food, but also from all evil desires. God, who loves us, continues to work in us. Let us persevere for these next forty days. .

 

PRAYER FOR MY LENTEN PRAYER PARTNER

 

 

O God, our heavenly Father, Who loves mankind, and Who is most merciful and compassionate, have mercy upon Your servant .(name) for whom I am humbly praying to You and commending to Your gracious care and protection. Have mercy according to Your great mercy upon him/her who have charged me, unworthy as) am, to pray for him/her.

 

O God, be his/her guide and guardian in all his/her undertakings. Lead him/her on the path of Your truth, and draw him/her nearer to You, that he/she may lead a godly and righteous life in the knowledge of Your love, doing Your Will in all things.

 

O loving Father of us all, let Your blessings be upon Your servant (name) . Keep him/her in Your gracious care, protect him/her with Your power, help him/her through stressful times and make his/her heart glad in the thought of Your nearness. Defend him/her against the assaults of any enemies, and give him/her wisdom and strength to resist all temptations and corruptions of this life. Direct him/her in the way of salvation of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and bestow upon him/her the blessing of Your Holy Spirit Grant this petition, 0 loving and kind Master, through the intercession of the Most Pure God bearer and of all Your saints. Amen.

 

This page originally published at St. Anne's Parish Sunday Feb. 6th, 2005
Created/put together by Anne-Marie Prokopiak.

Home