Prayer is a conversation with God. It is a way of opening our hearts to him and sharing our thoughts and feelings with him. Prayer can be done in many different ways, such as through words, music, or silence. During Lent, we can use prayer to reflect on our relationship with God, and to ask for his guidance and strength. The language of God is silence. Silently listening to God is the sacrifice of the heart. If you haven’t found something to give up during Lent, maybe give up speaking, briefly, and just wait, listening with God.
Day 1 – Start with scripture
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Read this Gospel passage.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to Luke
R. Glory to You O Lord
At that time: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were over, he was hungry.
4:1-13
The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone.” ’
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.” ’
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” ’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
The Gospel of the Lord
R. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
Spend some time in pairs or threes and talk about the questions below. When you’re finished, share them with the whole form and see where the dialogue takes you.
Discussion Questions:
Why does the devil keep saying “if you are the son of God…?” Doesn’t he know?
To every test of the devil how does Jesus respond?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see.
Almighty Father,
Through our annual Lenten observance, Lord, deepen our understanding of the mystery of Christ and make it a reality in how we live our lives.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen
St Peter and St Paul…
Pray for us.
Amen
Day 2 – TACOS anyone?
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Sometimes just trying to pray can be difficult. How do I start? Do I need to ask for something? What happens if I get it wrong?
Don’t worry, there isn’t a wrong way to pray. Even when you don’t know what to or how to pray, the fact that you want to is enough of a place to start. If you need a bit more structure or an easy guide, try TACOS.
God our Father,
It’s hard to pray sometime, and we don’t know what we’re doing. Please give us the grace to turn our hearts to you. Give us the wisdom to know that by asking you for help to pray, we are already praying.
Amen.
St Peter and St Paul…
Pray for us.
Amen
Day 3 – Temptations are real
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
To each of the devil’s taunts Jesus replies with a word of scripture: if you rely on God’s word you are unshakably safe, for God has created and arranged everything.
Here is a dramatisation to help us better understand the Gospel. Some dialogue was added to further the narrative– every bit of Christ’s dialogue was carefully chosen and adapted from other parts of scripture.
In the scriptures we have ready-made answers to temptation. reading a small piece of scripture a day will make a much bigger impact than you’d imagine. If you fancy giving it a try, the daily readings are always available in the Chapel. During Lent the Chaplain will be there at lunchtime (Wednesday and Friday). Or why not come to the Prayer club at Thurdsay lunchtime (Maths2).
Lord, this Lent, teach us to truly pray. Help us listen in silence, seeking your strength. Let our prayers be real conversations, not just words. Amidst school and life, help us find time to reflect on your sacrifice and prepare for Easter. May this Lent draw us closer to you, recognizing your presence.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son. Amen.
St Peter and St Paul…
Pray for us.
Amen
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