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Celebrating Lent in School
Lent brings an opportunity for the religion teacher to connect the student with the season of Lent. It’s also a time when the student prepares for the celebration of Holy Week where they have the opportunity of deepening their relationship with Christ.
In this season of Lent symbols are very important. Covered statues, stations of the cross, sand, stone, the colours of purple and grey are a few of the rich symbols which may be used to create a sacred space in your school.
So why not!!!!
Some activities that could be useful for Lent are as follows:
· Posters and banners may be displayed in the classroom or prayer room highlighting the season.
· The films ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ or ‘Passion of the Christ’ may be shown.
· Classroom and/or school liturgies are highly recommended. Prayer services for Ash Wednesday and each week of Lent are very valuable. It may not be possible to have a prayer service for the whole school on Ash Wednesday but a prayer service over the four weeks would be great.
· Distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday is recommended. A useful time is during break and lunch.
· Many schools with priest chaplains celebrate daily Mass during Lent. This may be held before school begins or during lunchtime.
· Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance before the Easter holidays is highly suggested.
· Stations of the Cross are very popular in schools, particularly if they are well planned and organised. This may take the form of a prayer service format or celebration outside on the school grounds where various locations are chosen for each station. A lot of preparation is involved in this but can be very an enriching experience.
· Trocaire have distributed an excellent Lenten pack which contain the traditional posters, collection box. This year they include a cd disk indication some of their projects worldwide. This pack is an ideal resource for the season.
What are you doing for Lent?
Some suggestions on what you might take on for Lent as a project!
- Take a Trocaire box and put some spare coins in daily/weekly. Encourage the pupils to take one too.
- Attend daily Mass in your parish or school. This could be recommended to Junior or Leaving Cert. students.
- Reflect on the daily scriptures.
- Carry out a good deed. This could involve visiting an elderly person or doing their shopping.
- Pray before the main meal at home or pause when you hear the angelus bell ringing.
- Help out with a household task.
- Give up something you are addicted to. This may be sweet things, drink, and cigarettes.
The above are some suggestions. You may have your own. The important thing is to try and enter into the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Suggested Prayer Service
Lent 2005
Preparation Beforehand
The following pointers may help in celebrating a meaning prayer service for Lent.
· The venue should be private and sound proof. Generally the prayer room in most schools is ideal.
· Get the students involved in preparing the sacred space which will be used. Other students may be gifted in picking readings, music, and decorating the venue. A good motto is ‘Avail of the talent around you’!
· Let the students know when the celebration is taking place and where. Punctuality is also important.
· What is the theme of your celebration? Plan the readings, music, sacred space etc around your theme.
The above are some pointers to assisting you in your preparation.
The following is a suggested prayer celebration/service to include the Penitential Rite. The simpler the celebration the better. I encourage you to use whatever works well for you.
When the students are arriving into the prayer room or classroom it may help to have music playing to create an atmosphere. They should be given a stone which will play a part at the Penitential Rite.
Once the music has ended and the student has settled down the following opening words may be useful.
Opening Part
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Today/At this time we begin a journey. A journey with Christ through the silence and nakedness of the desert. The desert is a place full of sand where there is no life. The desert is a hot place where death can arrive quickly. Christ entered this desert for 40 days and 40 nights because this time away from everybody and everything was important for him. We gather and we remember that time Christ spent in the desert. In doing so we look at our desert space that we have created which reminds us the desert is barren and bare.
In silence we think of those times when we were lifeless or feeling dead inside. We hold our stone which reminds us of our faults and failings. When we think of the wrong we have done and the hurt we caused to others. For the next few moments we ask Christ to bless us and forgive us for the times we caused hurt. We want to be friends with Christ and for this to happen we now place our stone in the bowl of water showing our love for Christ by saying sorry.
While the students are placing their stone into the bowl of water some music may help to keep the atmosphere of the gathering.
Penitential Rite
Lord, for the times we have tried to live our lives as if we were complete without you.
Lord, have mercy
Lord, for the times that our hearts have been so cluttered we could not possibly hear your word.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, for the times we have deliberately given way to temptation and followed paths which we knew were wrong.
Lord, have mercy
Liturgy of the Word
Suggested Readings -
Gen 9:8-15
In this reading God speaks to Noah. The flood is over and the covenant between God and his people is about to be made. It is God’s first promise of mercy.
Ex 20:1-17
The 10 commandments express the hope that God has for his people.
Psalm 115
This psalm echoes some tremendous themes of the Old Testament like trust, faithfulness, life, freedom, and the readiness to show faith.
Gospel Stories -
Mk 1:12-15
Jesus tells us the kingdom of God is near.
Mk 9:2-10
The Transfiguration
Jn 2:13-25
The cleansing of the temple.
A short reflection by a student may be given following the readings. Try and have the reflection simple and practical. Some music may be played in the background while the reflection is given.
Prayer of the Faithful
We pray for the church spread throughout the world. Give your church the love which knows no barriers of race or culture and strengthen us with your trust so that we may show your work and love to the world.
Lord, we see our divisions, quarrels, hatreds, injustices and greed. May we in our lives show that we are all equally your children.
Lord our God, we think of those who govern our country. May they be channels of integrity, responsibility, and care.
Lord, bless our class and our school with kindness and acceptance. Help us to support each other and help us work to make our school a caring place to be in.
Lord, bless all our families. Help each one of us to make our homes a place of peace. Help them and help us to make our homes a happy place.
Lord. look after our world at this time. Bless the Middle East with peace. Help us to work hard to rid our world of violence and war. Help us to be instruments of peace.
Pause for private prayer…………..
Our Father/Ar nAthair
A Reflection around the theme of Lent may be included at this time of the celebration. A student may be encouraged/invited to compose a reflection.
Closing Prayer
Lord, bless each one of us gathered here today (if a class celebration mention each students name). Help us in this season of Lent to be models and examples of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Help us to build our lives around Christ our friend.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Suggested music for Lenten Prayer Service
‘Be Not Afraid’ - Gather/Seinn Alleluia 2000/In Caelo
‘Eagles Wings’ - Hosanna/Seinn Alleluia 2000/In Caelo
‘Ubi Caritas’ - Taize CD
‘The Best of Simeon and John - Meditative Music CD
‘Yahweh I Know You Are Near’ - Psalm 139
‘The Pilgrim Way’ - Liam Lawton CD
Other resources may be found from Veritas, Intercom, and books which deal with Liturgies for Young People.