We know this year’s Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Easter celebrations are going to look a little different, but we want to make sure we take time to make this season special. This is your landing page as we do Lent at Home together.
Our Lenten Theme: Pathways to Freedom
We've all sacrificed a lot over the last year. Heading into the desert with Jesus sounds so disorienting right now. Jesus is with us. Jesus provides us with new pathways in the desert to experience the interior freedom He desires for every human heart. He offers pathways to freedom that can help us in our stress, anxiety, doubts, and loneliness. Join us as we unpack and experience these pathways this Lent.
What is Lent anyways?
Lent is a season that helps us prepare for the celebration of Easter as we spent time reflecting on our own Baptism and make changes in our lives to grow closer to God. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends just before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday). You might think of Lent as a time to “give something up”. Sacrifice is definitely a part of our Lenten journey, but too can be taking on a new spiritual practice as we work to become the best version of ourselves.
We will reopen for in-person Masses on Sat Feb 20th. Reservations are required for weekend Masses and the link to make a reservation is posted Tuesdays at 4pm at BackToMass.com. You can also join us online to watch Mass from home.
In addition to Bishop Barron's daily emails, there are some other great daily Lenten reflections to consider as well. Check out the links below:
Consider taking a break from Netflix, and diving deeper into your faith this Lent by watching high-quality videos from Formed, an online streaming service like Netflix. As a member of our community, you can access Catholic movies, shows, and books for free.
To register for your own account, click here. Enter your postal code with a space (i.e. N8N 5G8) and click on Good Shepherd Parish at 462 Advance. Click Next and enter your full name and email and click Sign Up. That's it! You are in.
You can also watch by downloading the Formed app to your phone, or searching on Apple TV, Roku, or Chromecast. If you ever get signed out, head to Formed.org and click on Sign In. By default, there is no password, just an email verification if you use a new device. If you want to set a password, click here.
Each Friday during Lent we invite you to join in prayer from home for Stations of the Cross. Each Friday will be a new opportunity to pray with the Stations from each parish in our Family of Parishes. The videos will premiere on Facebook and YouTube each Friday at 3pm, but they will be available to watch anytime after.
Throughout this time, the Church highlights the call to conversion for all members of the Church as we accompany our brothers and sisters who are seeking Baptism at Easter. What is your plan for living out these forty days and the rest of your life?
The traditional means suggested by the Church for centuries include prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and sharing. In these three, we become more attentive to our relationships with God and with others. This may come as a result of entering more into prayer and devotions, or making some sacrifices such as giving up certain food, drink, or entertainment. These are ways by which we are sure to put God first in our time and our choices.
A second way will lead us to focus on sharing, through such things as doing extra works of charity that help others. These extra works may be spending time with or for others, visiting relatives or friends who are ill or otherwise confined to home, shoveling a neighbour’s walk, or giving of our talents or treasures. Either way, we are imitating Jesus by sharing what we have for the sake of others.
These “tried and true” methods can help shape our lives as Catholic Christians, so that the Lenten experience leads us to growth not only for forty days but for our whole lives.