Lent:  Getting Ready for Easter

          Lent is a special time in the church year for Catholics. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days. On Ash Wednesday, priests and helpers use ashes to make a sign of the cross on our foreheads. These ashes are made from burning the palms that are left over from last year's Palm Sunday. These ashes remind us that people sin against God and that all people will die someday and be happy with God in heaven.
          During Lent, Catholics try to do more good things than they do during other times in the year. They look at their lives and try to find things to do that will bring them closer to God. They also try to think about the times they have sinned and ask God for forgiveness. There are three main things that people do during Lent:

• Pray more. We can go to church more often. We can read the Bible. We can pray to God many times during the day. We also can take part in a special prayer called Stations of the Cross. There are 14 stations with pictures and prayers that remind us of the things that happened to Jesus in the last days before he died on the cross.

• Give something up. We can give up something we like to eat, like candy, cupcakes, or potato chips. We can also give up other things, like fighting with a brother or sister, disobeying our parents, or using bad language. Many families also give up eating meat on Fridays during Lent.

• Share what we have with the poor. Most of us are lucky that we are not poor. We usually have everything we need (even if we don't always have everything we want!) During Lent, we can try to give money to those who need it more than we go. One good idea is to use the money you save by not eating the things you give up (like candy) and giving that money to the poor. Sometimes our parish will  have a special Lenten mission collection that will be sent to those who need help.     

          Lent lasts for 6 weeks because Sundays do not count as part of Lent. Yes, that means you can have candy on Sunday if that is what you gave up! The last week of Lent is called Holy Week. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. Lent is over on Wednesday of this week. On Holy Thursday, we remember the Last Supper where Jesus turned bread and wine into his body and blood for the first time. On Good Friday, we remember that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us. Then on Easter we celebrate Jesus' resurrection, when he rose from the dead and saved us all from sin. At the Easter Vigil on Saturday night, new people who want to become members of the Catholic Church are baptized, receive their first Holy Communion, and are confirmed.  On Easter Sunday, families usually celebrate Jesus' resurrection with church, new clothes. Easter baskets, and family dinners.

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