Day2 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 2/26/09
Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus:1-6
Day 2 Lite Version
Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus: 7-12
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
“Remember, O man, that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return”
A Lenten reflection on “Forgiving the Living” a phrase used by Immaculee Ilibagiza in her own story:
Left To Tell, Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Most of us struggle to forgive, finding it difficult to put aside our bumps and bruises. We savor our wounds as though they give us pleasure. We are a strange lot.
Imagine, if you can, living with the memory of genocide. Not a genocide across the world from you, but surrounding you; a genocide that includes your mother and father, your brothers, friends and all your neighbors in one way or another. Imagine a genocide you can smell and touch and that touches you, that calls your name, hunts you and haunts you.
For thousands in the world today, that is the reality. For one particular soul, Immaculee Ilabigiza, the author of Left to Tell, this reality has sprouted wings. She flies high above her small village in Rwanda living forgiveness, not as a half-hearted effort, but as a mission. A dream, that she believes was given her by God, opened her heart to the world. Her touch is one of grace and healing. Immaculee was left behind to let us know that in order to truly be alive to Life, we can and must forgive by the living grace of God.
Day 1 Lenten Reading Plan here.
The Lite version of the Plan
Compiled by Church Year. Net
| 2009 Date | Day in Lenten Fast | Lite Reading |
| 2/25 | 1 | Epistle to Diognetus: 1-6 |
| 2/26 | 2 | Epistle to Diognetus: 7-12 |
| 2/27 | 3 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7 |
| 2/28 | 4 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians: 8-14 |
| 3/2 | 5 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 15-21 |
| 3/3 | 6 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 1-5 |
| 3/4 | 7 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 6-10 |
| 3/5 | 8 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 11-15 |
| 3/6 | 9 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 1-7 |
| 3/7 | 10 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 8-14 |
| 3/9 | 11 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 15-21 |
| 3/10 | 12 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 22-29 |
| 3/11 | 13 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 30-37 |
| 3/12 | 14 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 38-45 |
| 3/13 | 15 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 46-53 |
| 3/14 | 16 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 54-60 |
| 3/16 | 17 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 61-68 |
| 3/17 | 18 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 1-9 |
| 3/18 | 19 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 10-18 |
| 3/19 | 20 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 19-21 |
| 3/20 | 21 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 1-9 |
| 3/21 | 22 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 10-16 |
| 3/23 | 23 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 17-25 |
| 3/24 | 24 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 26-33 |
| 3/25 | 25 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 34-41 |
| 3/26 | 26 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 42-49 |
| 3/27 | 27 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 50-58 |
| 3/28 | 28 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 59-66 |
| 3/30 | 29 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 67-73 |
| 3/31 | 30 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 74-81 |
| 4/1 | 31 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 82-89 |
| 4/2 | 32 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 90-94 |
| 4/3 | 33 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XX |
| 4/4 | 34 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXII |
| 4/6 | 35 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (1-11) |
| 4/7 | 36 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (12-23) |
| 4/8 | 37 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 1-4 |
| 4/9 | 38 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9 |
| 4/10 | 39 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI): complete |
| 4/11 | 40 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon LXXII (On the Lord’s Resurrection): complete |
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
I’m beginning today with a question: How did the first Christians do it?
In a world of propaganda and hype, of relativism and materialism, I ask myself what do I have that can change darkness into Light? In truth, I have what Christians have had from the beginning. I have the Savior of the world. Jesus words after His Resurrection from the dead were:
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Mark16: 15
In effect, go tell My story!
It is more than a story. It is power. It is the single most important act in all of human history with eternal consequences. The world has run after other gods. I have run after other gods. That’s not the end of the story though.
Tomorrow begins Lent. For myself, I’m resolved to tell the story everyday of Lent. Lent will change me and then the world. Like the first Christians, we must begin by telling the story of Jesus’ death on the Cross and His Resurrection from the dead. Proclaim it!
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John3:16–18
Paul told us we don’t need to be polished and eloquent. To the Corinthian Greeks, Paul writes, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
That is my story. I’m resolved to tell it today.
Update: O HappyDay:
Procession of the Cross
The Candidate for the Sacred Priesthood – Jeffrey Neil Steenson
Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Calling and Presentation of the Candidate for the Priesthood Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Prostration and Litany of the Saints
Ordained and Invested
Kiss of Peace
Greeting by Rev. Fr. Scott Mansield
Presentation of the Gifts by the Steenson Family
Eucharist
A Few Words
Recessional – Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Recessional and Blessing by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Thanks Be To God!
As celebrations for Mardi Gras are well underway, my thought is obvious. For God’s sake and ours, there’s got to be a better way. The Divine Office for today includes this from the Office of Readings:
“I thought to myself, ‘Very well, I will try pleasure and see what enjoyment has to offer.’ And there it was: vanity again! This laughter, I reflected, is a madness, this pleasure no use at all. I resolved to have my body cheered with wine, my heart still devoted to wisdom; I resolved to embrace folly to see what made mankind happy, and what men do under heaven in the few days they have to live.”
My reflections then turned to wisdom, stupidity, folly. For instance, what can the successor of a king do? What has been done already. More is to be had from wisdom than from folly, as from light than from darkness; this, of course, I see:” Ecclesiastes 2:1-3
“The wise man sees ahead,the fool walks in the dark.” Ecclesiastes 2:14
The Church Fathers showed the Church the way though centuries of attack and heresy. They speak loudly today as the world speaks heretically louder than ever. Now the attacks on the Church and Truth are both more blatant and more subtle. So ready, set, go! Take on the liars for Lent!
For the “wise man” looking forward to this time of new submission, here’s the ticket!
Compiled by Church Year. Net
| 2009 Date | Day in Lenten Fast | Lite Reading |
| 2/25 | 1 | Epistle to Diognetus: 1-6 |
| 2/26 | 2 | Epistle to Diognetus: 7-12 |
| 2/27 | 3 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7 |
| 2/28 | 4 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians: 8-14 |
| 3/2 | 5 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 15-21 |
| 3/3 | 6 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 1-5 |
| 3/4 | 7 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 6-10 |
| 3/5 | 8 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 11-15 |
| 3/6 | 9 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 1-7 |
| 3/7 | 10 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 8-14 |
| 3/9 | 11 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 15-21 |
| 3/10 | 12 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 22-29 |
| 3/11 | 13 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 30-37 |
| 3/12 | 14 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 38-45 |
| 3/13 | 15 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 46-53 |
| 3/14 | 16 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 54-60 |
| 3/16 | 17 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 61-68 |
| 3/17 | 18 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 1-9 |
| 3/18 | 19 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 10-18 |
| 3/19 | 20 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 19-21 |
| 3/20 | 21 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 1-9 |
| 3/21 | 22 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 10-16 |
| 3/23 | 23 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 17-25 |
| 3/24 | 24 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 26-33 |
| 3/25 | 25 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 34-41 |
| 3/26 | 26 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 42-49 |
| 3/27 | 27 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 50-58 |
| 3/28 | 28 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 59-66 |
| 3/30 | 29 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 67-73 |
| 3/31 | 30 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 74-81 |
| 4/1 | 31 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 82-89 |
| 4/2 | 32 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 90-94 |
| 4/3 | 33 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XX |
| 4/4 | 34 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXII |
| 4/6 | 35 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (1-11) |
| 4/7 | 36 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (12-23) |
| 4/8 | 37 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 1-4 |
| 4/9 | 38 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9 |
| 4/10 | 39 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI): complete |
| 4/11 | 40 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon LXXII (On the Lord’s Resurrection): complete |
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
There is also a heavy duty version of the plan: Complete Version : Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan: With Texts
Be Holy! 