Saturday, February 21, 2009

Lent Approaches

To-day, Our Lady is last commemorated in the Breviary with her Saturday Office before the spiritual austerities of Lent begin.  Throughout this solemn season, the saints are solely commemorated at Lauds (and Low Mass) with but three exceptions, all first-class feasts with first Vespers: on Tuesday the 17th of March occurs that of St Patrick (in Australia and elsewhere, as originally in Ireland); on Thursday the 19th, of St Joseph; on Wednesday the 25th, of the Annunciation.

What to do for Lent?  Pray; fast; give alms.

I am forming the serious resolution to resume daily attendance* at Mass for Lent: if I get up earlier, I can attend the 7.30am Mass at Carmel before work on Mondays, Tuesdays, probably Wednesdays (or Mass at 5pm at St Vincent's Hospital chapel†), Fridays and Sundays - on Thursdays and Saturdays, Mass in the side chapel at Church of the Apostles (at 5pm and 9am respectively) will suit my work and life schedule better.

[* While in Hobart and Melbourne I've been to Mass on weekdays,
this year I've only heard a weekday Mass in Launceston for Candlemas...]

[† This is the "lazy Mass" I once blogged on!]

Fasting will prove difficult - at least, I've always found it so.  The obvious thing is to abstain from meat when I can (those I live with won't), and to be more sparing.

As for almsgiving, I know the bushfire appeal will be something continue to keep in mind, seeing as so many have lost everything; and Mass at Carmel gives me a chance to pop something into the sister's "Offerings" box...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Joshua:

I tried responding to this on the bus, but my mobile decided it wasn't going to play...

Thank you for raising the point of trying to get to daily Mass. I can actually go to Mass daily, but the resultant alteration to my working hours means I will be left very, very tired 7 days out of 7... still, it is a worth sacrifice for Lent! (I never thought daily Mass would be a penance like that!)

Oh, and I too prayed Our Lady's Office for the last time for a while today. When will we next pray it? After Pentecost?

Joshua said...

Yes, I quite agree, getting to Mass before or after work can really be tiring, but worthwhile - however, do exercise prudence: for me it means getting up maybe half an hour earlier and driving only a few km further; if for you it would mean a lot longer, do think carefully about it.

I think Our Lady's Saturday Office resumes on Saturday after Low Sunday.