May we be faithful in our Lenten and Easter celebrations translating our encounter of the person of Jesus in the liturgy into concrete actions of Faith. Amen. :-)

2. What is the Season of Lent?
Lent can be defined as a period of
forty (40) days before Easter,
intended to be a time of intensive
preparation for the celebration of
the Paschal Mystery.
- Lent begins on Ash Wednesday
and lasts up to the Holy Thursday
Evening.

3. What is the significance of forty days
(40) in our Lenten preparations?
1. Lent can be defined as a period of forty (40) days
before Easter…
- Number forty (40) is traditionally
emphasized because it is often
found in the Scriptures connecting it
to the salvation history.
- These scriptural allusions were used
by the Church Fathers in explaining
to us the meaning of Lent.

4. What are the biblical accounts in which
(40) has a special significance?
- Genesis 7:12, 17
“Noah and the Great Flood”
“Rain fell upon the earth forty days
and forty nights”
“The flood continued forty days upon
the earth…”
- The New creation begun after
destroying the corrupted mankind
through a flood.

5. What are the biblical accounts in which
(40) has a special significance?
- Exodus 16:35
“Journey to the Promised Land”
“And the people of Israel ate the
manna for forty years, till they came to
a habitable land”
- The Israelites walked to the promised
land and has escaped the slavery of the
Egyptians.

6. What are the biblical accounts in which
(40) has a special significance?
- 1 Kings 19:8
“Elijah on the way to Horeb”
“Elijah arose and ate and drank and
went in the strenght of that food forty
days and forty nights to Horeb the Mt.
of God”
-Elijah is comforted and strengthened
by a food so he could reach the
Mountain of God – Horeb.

7. What are the biblical accounts in which
(40) has a special significance?
- Exodus 24:18
“Moses on Mt. Sinai”
“And Moses entered the cloud, and
went up on the mountain and Moses
was on the mountain forty days/forty
nights”
-Moses spent solitude with God,
listening and knowing the plan and will
of God.

8. What are the biblical accounts in which
(40) has a special significance?
- Mt. 4:1-11/Luke 4:1-13
“The Temptation of Jesus”
“Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
And he fasted forty days and forty
nights”
-Jesus was tempted but He knows who
He is and His mission is clear to Him.

9. How do we prepare ourselves?
2. A time of intensive preparation for the celebration
of the Paschal Mystery.
Alms Giving
Prayer
Fasting

10. What is the meaning of ashes during Ash
Wednesday?
1. It is a symbol of transiency – we are
reminded how short and how passing
human life is.
2. It is sign of purity – they are pure
elements since they undergo the
burning process.