There are traditionally 40 days in Lent; these are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigor during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbors).
Lent, which comes from the Teutonic (Germanic) word for springtime, can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him.
In addition, some believers add a regular spiritual discipline, to bring them closer to God, such as reading a Lenten daily devotional.
-
We Are The Clay
What does it mean to be as clay in the hands of the Lord? Does the clay direct the potter what to do with it? The Lord is our potter, and our hearts should be as malleable to His hands as clay.
-
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
Struggling with the Rosary? Pray along with Kristin from One Hail Mary at a Time. This beautiful, prayerful video goes through all five joyful mysteries: The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity, The Presentation in the Temple, and The Finding in the Temple. Pray through all five, or join us for just a decade or two.
-
Were You There, When They Crucified My Lord?
“Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)” is an American spiritual that was first printed in 1899.
“Were You There” was likely composed by African-American slaves in the 19th century. It was first published in William Eleazar Barton’s 1899 Old Plantation Hymns. In 1940, it was included in the Episcopal Church hymnal, making it the first spiritual to be included in any major American hymnal. As reported in Howard Thurman’s autobiography, the song was one of Mahatma Gandhi’s favorites. The song has been recorded by artists including Marion Williams, Johnny Cash, Phil Keaggy, Max Roach, Diamanda Galás, Harry Belafonte, The Seldom Scene, Diamond Version (with Neil Tennant), Bayard Rustin, and Rajaton.
