Reflection

Lent – Halfway there

We are about halfway through Lent so it is good to remind ourselves what we can be doing. It is a time to focus on prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

We can commit to make more time for prayer – individually or through opportunities offered at school or parish. We can take more time to read the bible, attend Mass and go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

One way of almsgiving is donating to the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. This year, the St Vinnies group is again coordinating Project Compassion at the College. The theme of Project Compassion 2024 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.

Fasting can include giving up different types of food or drink, perhaps watching less TV or fasting from those things in our lives that hold up back from being the person that God wants us to be. Pope Francis gives us the following tips:

Fasting This Lent

Fast from hurting words and say kind words 

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude 

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope 

Fast from worries and trust in God 

Fast from pressure and be prayerful 

Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy 

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others 

Fast from grudges and be reconciled 

Fast from words, be silent, so you can listen

Pope Francis

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works

and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Holy Family of Nazareth, be our inspiration and our guide.

Jesus of Nazareth, help us to grow in Faith, Wisdom and Knowledge