Lent Journey - 2016Sample

LENT IS FOR SHARING DAILY PRAYER REQUEST: Lord, help me become more generous. DAILY THOUGHT: GENEROUS SHARING The early Christian community was a remarkably generous community. You can catch glimpses of the ways in which they shared their lives with each other when you read the book of Acts (see 2:43–47; 4:32–37; 6:2–7). Their generosity had many different dimensions, ranging from the interpersonal to the material. They gave time to each other, eating and praying together; they shared their goods in common and gave to the needy around them. Little wonder thousands of outsiders were attracted to their life together. There was something radically different about the way they lived. Rather than cling to whatever they possessed, they shared generously their lives and their possessions with one another. They were a sign of contradiction in a greedy and stingy world. Can this be said about us and the faith-communities to which we belong? DAILY PRACTICE: Pray the daily prayer request. In your quiet time sit with God and make a list of the different ways in which we can be generous. We can share our time, our abilities, our material and financial resources and so much else. Think of one specific way in which you can extend yourself for someone else over the next twelve hours. It may be by giving them your time, or helping them out with one of your skills, or giving a financial gift. As always, though, speak with God about which one way you are going to be generous. And remember, a good guideline is to ask, “Lord, what will most express your love where I live and work?”