Preparation Sunday

Preparing for the journey

Big trips tend to bring a little anxiety into life

packing

weather

accommodations

planning things out in advance helps manage the pre-trip anxiety

But more importantly it allows you to get the most out of your trip.

Lent is a journey and we need to prepare or else we will loose the opportunity for growth.

Today’s Gospel challenges us to prepare for Lenten journey which starts tomorrow.

Lent: road to repentance

Learning to live a life of repentance is constant spiritual pursuit, which is emphasized during lent.

“life of” embodies a constellation of activities and practices

What are spiritual activities and practices we are encouraged to do during lent?

Prayer

Fasting

confession

liturgy

What are the 3 discussed in today's gospel

Prayer

Fasting

Almsgiving

Prayer and fasting have an internal focus.

Prayer turns our hearts and minds towards God, opening us to a conversation with God.

St. John Chrysostom

But if he already knows what we need, why do we pray? Not to inform God or instruct him but to beseech him closely, to be made intimate with him, by continuance in supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of our sins.

fasting incorporates varying degrees of personal discomfort teaching us discipline which will be need to turn from the sinful passions that easily ensnare us.

St. Basil the Great

“Fasting gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful; fasting makes lawgivers wise. Fasting is a good safeguard for the soul, a steadfast companion for the body, a weapon for the valiant, and a gymnasium for athletes. Fasting repels temptations, anoints unto piety; it is the comrade of watchfulness and the artificer of chastity. In war it fights bravely, in peace it teaches stillness.” – Homily on Fasting

Almsgiving, captures the heart of God in our lives. It was God who came to be with us and serving us, we who can’t help ourselves.

Its this spiritual practice of serving others that is often left out or forgotten in our practices for lent.

Without this one we often don’t see the spiritual growth we hoped for.

“He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the virtuous, the just and the unjust, when providing for men’s bodily needs.”

—St. Maximos the Confessor

“Be earnest in righteous works, by which sins may be purged. Frequently apply yourself to almsgiving, by which souls are freed from death.”

—St. Cyprian