Planning Lent

Lent is over a month away but after all the Christmas celebrating, we are ready for simple.  Lent always seems to bring it's own trials and opportunities for penance yet it is still one of my favorite seasons in the Church.

We were in desperate need of pulling back from electronics and desserts so that has already happened. The last couple of years we gave up meat as our sacrifice and that was a good sacrifice!  But we are working on reducing our carbs and increasing high quality protein.  I just don't know how to do that without meat.  So we have not decided on what we are giving up yet. 

I do know what I want us to work on!

During Lent we will focus on the great heritage of the Traditional Latin Mass and traditional Catholic music.  Since this is not Kevin's or my heritage (we grew up on Kumbaya and burlap banners) it's a challenge.

To learn the Extraordinary Form (the Traditional Latin Mass) in a more orderly way, I hope to use The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from Our Lady of Victory.  I ordered it but have not seen it yet.  Allison at Totus Tuus Family recomended the book in this post.

For our music, we will learn the Stabat Mater and there are enough verses to keep us busy all Lent.  I could not find an on line video to learn from, though there are many beautiful settings for this piece.  They are all just too difficult for our ability level.  Jonathan at Ictus made an mp3 of all the verses which is perfect!  I am so grateful to him for doing so.

Beautiful music.

Stabat mater dolorosa juxta Crucem lacrimosa, dum pendebat Filius. Cuyus animam gementem, contristatam et dolentem, pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta Mater Unigeniti. Quae moerebat et dolebat, Pia Mater cum videbat Nati poenas incliti. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret in tanto supplicio? Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari dolentem cum Filio? Pro peccatis suae gentis vidit Jesum in tormentis et flagellis subditum. Vidit suum dulcem natum moriendo desolatum, dum emisit spiritum. Eia Mater, fons amoris, me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam. Fac ut ardeat cor meum in amando Christum Deum, ut sibi complaceam. Sancta mater, istud agas, crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide. Tui nati vulnerati, tam dignati pro me pati, poenas mecum divide. Fac me tecum pie flere, crucifixo condolere, donec ego vixero. Iuxta crucem tecum stare, et me tibi sociare in planctu desidero. Virgo virginum praeclara, mihi iam non sis amara: fac me tecum plangere. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem, et plagas recolere. Fac me plagis vulnerari, fac me cruce inebriari, et cruore Filii. Flammis ne urar succensus per te Virgo, sim defensus in die judicii Christe, cum sit hinc exire, da per matrem me venire ad palmam victoriae. Quando corpus morietur, fac ut animae donetur Paradisi gloria. Amen.		At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had pass'd. Oh, how sad and sore distress'd Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten One! Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son. Is there one who would not weep, Whelm'd in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold? Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's pain untold? Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, She beheld her tender child All with bloody scourges rent. For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent. O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above; Make my heart with thine accord. Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ our Lord. Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified. Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourn'd for me, All the days that I may live. By the cross with thee to stay, There with thee to weep and pray, Is all I ask of thee to give. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request Let me share thy grief divine. Let me, to my latest breath, In my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine. Wounded with His every wound, Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd In His very blood away. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In His awful Judgment day. Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defence, Be Thy cross my victory. While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen.

Comments

[Christine]

May God bless you in this endeavor! We started going to an FSSP parish a little over three years ago and have been so blessed.