Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for forty days until Holy Thursday (when the Easter Tridiuum begins). During Lent, we look more intently at our lives, repent of our sins, and offer personal sacrifices of alms, prayer, and fasting as penance for our sins. We spend these days in preparation for the new life of Easter. These prayer celebrations are appropriate for early in the Lenten season.

See Liturgical Calendar–Seasons–Lent for additional background information and prayer.


"Changing Our Lives" Prayer Celebration Notes

Focus		Changing our hearts during Lent
Materials Needed		Prayer table with Bible and candle, copies of liturgy, three pieces of construction paper, crayons or markers, music
Reading		Isaiah 58:6–9
Music		"Be Merciful O Lord," Blest Are We Music CD 2; "With Open Hands," Gifts for a Lifetime; "Come Follow Me," Barbara Bridge (OCP Publications); "Were You There" Spiritual
Preparation		Before the prayer celebration, print out and photocopy the liturgy, "Changing Our Lives," for each reader. [You may/may not feel the need for each child to have a copy.] Label the pieces of construction paper with the following Lenten practices: "prayer," "fasting," and "almsgiving." Invite children to give examples of how they can participate in these practices. Print the children's responses on the appropriate sheet. Select a Scripture and two readers for the skit. Prepare your role as leader.
Adaptation		See "With Open Hands" and "Be Merciful O Lord" for music movements to include in the prayer celebration.
Additional Materials		"Be Merciful O Lord" Blest Are We Music CD 2 Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725). ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36653-0 Blest Are We Song Book Words and melody for children; contains music for levels 1-8 ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36617-4 Blest Are We Accompaniment Book Contains accompaniment music for levels 1-8 ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36618-2 "With Open Hands" Gifts for a Lifetime Music CD ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36113-X Gifts for a Lifetime Accompaniment Book ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36104-0