Lenten Meditation: Fast and Feast

New Lenten Resource

I just added a new resource to my Lenten Resources page. Blue Eyed Ennis points us to 24-7 Prayer which is an interdenominational movement of prayer, mission and justice out of England. They post something every day of Lent. You can subscribe to this on iTunes, or get it via the blog, YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. The videos are about 5 minutes each and there is also a free guide you can download.

Lenten Meditation: Today I Believe

As Lent continues, are you getting discouraged? This is a prayer full of hope. It it taken from "Celtic Daily Prayer."

Lenten Music Monday--Michael John Poirier

Beautifully meditative song about Jesus calling us to be with Him during Lent.

Lenten Resource Page

Check out my new Lenten Resource Page.  Click on the Lenten Resources button to the right (on the sidebar) to go to a separate Lenten Resource page on Dymphna's Well.

Right now, I've got some fasting resources and Lenten family resources.  I will add to them as I find new and inspiring things on the web.

Edited to add:  I've added some Catholic and Orthodox Lenten Homilies.

Ash Wednesday--Lenten Meditation--Beginning the Journey

Music Monday--John Michael Talbot

Lent begins on Wednesday of this week.  Lent can be a very difficult time for many of us who struggle with feelings of shame and guilt over our shortcomings and sins.

In Eastern Christianity, sin is "falling short of the mark".  It is an opportunity to be healed by God, not to be shamed.

This week's Music Monday is Healer of my Soul by John Michael Talbot.  Take a moment and let the words become a prayer and a balm to your soul.

Book Review: "The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life" by Henri Nouwen

The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life by Henri J.M. Nouwen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life" by Henri Nouwen was recommended by a caller to The Catholic Channel on Sirius Satellite Radio and I was thrilled to find it for free on http://www.archive.org. They even had a read-aloud feature where a (in this case, female) slightly computerized voice would read the book aloud, following along with the passages being highlighted in blue.

The book itself is short, only 93 pages, and the Internet Archives actually shows the original book, complete with illustrations and turn-able pages. When you choose the computer to read the text aloud, the pages turn automatically.

Nouwen says that the way of Christ is one of downward mobility, in direct opposition to society's quest for power, relevancy and spectacular sensationalism. Our God, Nouwen says, is one who literally "came down" as a servant; a member of a tiny tribe being oppressed by a huge super power.

He speaks of three disciplines that are necessary in our spiritual formation: the disciplines of the Church, the Book and the Heart.

This book is a little shot in the arm to one's spiritual life and a great read for Lent.

View all my reviews

Lenten Poetry Wednesday

Here, for Holy Week is the final installment of the beautiful poem of Gregory Petrov.

Glory to Thee, showing Thine unsurpassable power in the laws of the universe

Glory to Thee, for all nature is filled with Thy laws

Glory to Thee for what Thou hast revealed to us in Thy mercy

Glory to Thee for what Thou hast hidden from us in Thy wisdom

Glory to Thee for the inventiveness of the human mind

Glory to Thee for the dignity of man's labour

Glory to Thee for the tongues of fire that bring inspiration

Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age 

Lenten Music Monday

For this start of Holy Week, today's Lenten meditation is from the Eastern Orthodox Church.  This is called Open to me the doors of Repentance.  For those of you who, like me, were not familiar with this prayer before now, here are the words, although the chant here is in English.

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.


Open to me the doors of repentance, O Live-giver
For my spirit rises early to pray towards Thy Holy Temple
Bearing the temple of my body all defiled
But in Thy compassion
Purify me by the loving kindness of Thy mercy.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Lead me on the paths of salvation, O Mother of God
For I have profaned my soul with shameful sins
And have wasted my life in laziness
But by your intercessions
Deliver me from all impurity

Have Mercy on me Oh God
according to Thy great Mercy
and according They Loving Compassion
blot out my transgressions.

When I think of the many evil things I have done
Wretch that I am
I tremble at the fearful Day of Judgment
But trusting in Thy loving kindness
Like David I cry to Thee:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy.

Lenten Poetry Wednesday

Our poem today is another portion of the beautiful prayer of Gregory Petrov, written in a prison camp in 1940.

Glory to Thee, the highest peak of men's dreaming

Glory to Thee for our unquenchable thirst for communion with God

Glory to Thee, making us dissatisfied with earthly things

Glory to Thee, turning on us Thine healing rays

Glory to Thee, subduing the power of the spirits of darkness

And dooming to death every evil

Glory to Thee for the signs of Thy presence

For the joy of hearing Thy voice and living in Thy love

Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age

Lenten Music Monday

This Lenten meditation reminds us to fast from petty sinfulness and to feast on the Love of Christ.

Lenten Poetry Wednesday

Another installment from the beautiful prayer/poem of Protopresbyter Gregory Petrov, written in a prison camp in 1940.

Glory to Thee at the hushed hour of nightfall

Glory to Thee, covering the earth with peace

Glory to Thee for the last ray of the sun as it sets

Glory to Thee for sleep's repose that restores us

Glory to Thee for Thy goodness even in the time of darkness

When all the world is hidden from our eyes

Glory to Thee for the prayers offered by a trembling soul

Glory to Thee for the pledge of our reawakening

On that glorious last day, that day which has no evening

Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age

Lenten Music Monday: Edited

This is a very meditative Lenten meditation with pictures of the desert, reminding us to enter the desert of denial of our earthly passions in order to allow the grace of Christ's love to replace our human sins and shortcomings.

Edited to add: Sorry I had the wrong link earlier. It has now been corrected.

Lenten Poetry Wednesday

More poetry from Gregory Petrov for Lent.

Glory to Thee, bringing from the depth of the earth an endless variety of colours, tastes and scents

Glory to Thee for the warmth and tenderness of the world of nature

Glory to Thee for the numberless creatures around us

Glory to Thee for the depths of Thy wisdom, the whole world a living sign of it

Glory to Thee; on my knees, I kiss the traces of Thine unseen hand

Glory to Thee, enlightening us with the clearness of eternal life

Glory to Thee for the hope of the unutterable, imperishable beauty of immortality

Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age

Lenten Music Monday

This Lenten meditation is a deceptively simple one, focusing on the power of prayer and the presence of Christ in the gathered church.

Lenten Friday--The Holy Eucharist

This video is a fascinating rendition of Saint Thomas Aquinas' Pange Lingua with beautiful visuals to help us meditate on Our Lord's gift of Himself in the  Eucharist on this Lenten Friday.

Lenten Poetry Wednesday

Todays poem is another installment from Protopresbyter Gregory Petrov, written in a prison camp in 1940.

Glory to Thee for the Feast Day of life

Glory to Thee for the perfume of lilies and roses

Glory to Thee for each different taste of berry and fruit

Glory to Thee for the sparkling silver of early morning dew

Glory to Thee for the joy of dawn's awakening

Glory to Thee for the new life each day brings

Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age

Lenten Music Monday

This is the Great Lenten Prayer of St. Ephram from the Eastern Church.  It focuses on asking God for the grace to embody the virtues and take away sinfulness.

Lenten Friday--Our Catholic Faith

Just saw this beautiful video.  Gorgeous music and visuals reminding us of the richness of Our Catholic Faith.
Have a blessed Lenten Friday, everyone.