Lent...
Welcome.
Jesus is inviting you and I on another Lenten journey through the desert to renew our lives again at Easter. Like the stream flowing down the desert hill, Jesus is the life we seek when our hearts remain dull, lifeless, and hurting. All things are possible with God in our inner deserts.
Jesus did not resist the desert. He did not hesitate to be changed by it, to become stronger for his mission on earth. We also are invited to turn to God and seek a new conversion of heart.
Jesus fasted in his desert experience. We fast to be sustained more deeply in God’s love for us. We have another chance to let God be the source of our life in the Eucharist. Christ feeds us with hope, mercy, and forgiveness. Our hunger leads us to belong in Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.
As we enter the Lenten season, we are all invited to listen carefully to God and to renew our own baptismal life in Christ Jesus. As we pray, as we fast, and as we offer Hope (Alms ) help to those in need, the Holy Spirit is guiding us through the deserts of hopelessness, fear, and uncertainty.
On Easter, our voices shall be one, and our lives committed again to the joy of our relationship with Christ, with others and within ourselves.
Ash Wednesday
MASS TIMES: 8am | 12:05pm | 7pm
Additional Ashes Distribution on Ash Wednesday: 3:30pm
Women's BIBLE STUDY
Dwell, A Women's Conversation Study on the Eucharist March 10th at 9am
FREE, book & sessions to the first 30 women who sign up!
Email: srector@assumptionchurchemerson.org
Story of Salvation Bible Study
Free 7 sessions
Invite a friend or two and watch at home.
Email: srector@assumptionchurchemerson.org
Lent Devotions Schedule
FRIDAYS DURING LENT
Stations of the Cross: 6:30pm followed by
Adoration: 7:00 - 8:00pm
Lent Parent's Night at Adoration
"God's Power is Unleashed Through our Prayers"
Adoration 7:00pm - Sign up to get a free book: Messages of Perseverance In Lent 2024,
the authors offer practical, everyday wisdom for persevering in your journey of faith.
Stay at adoration, to pray for our children.
Email: srector@assumptionchurchemerson.org
RECONCILIATION SERVICES
Every Saturday 10:45am -11:45pm or by appointment
How to Pray
Video Presentation: Learn How to Pray, Learn four basic ways to start having a conversation with God Sunday Feb. 25th and Sunday March 3rd, In church, at 8am, 9:30am and 11am
Let us know you plan to attend and on what day Email: srector@assumptionchurchemerson.org
PARISH LENTEN MISSION - February 19th, 20th, and 21st Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 7pm in Church, come all three nights!
Holy Week and The Holy Triduum Mass Schedule
PALM SUNDAY:
5pm (Saturday) | 8:30am | 10am | 12:15pm
HOLY THURSDAY:
9am Morning Prayer 7:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper Adoration Following Mass
GOOD FRIDAY:
9am Morning Prayer | Noon Outdoor Stations of the Cross | 3pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
HOLY SATURDAY:
9am Morning Prayer | 10am Decorating of the Church | 11:30am Blessing of the Food |
8pm (Sunset) The Easter Vigil
EASTER:
8:30am | 10am | 12:15pm
Trying to decide "that thing" to do this Lent?
Watch this video first, you'll be glad you did.
Ways to Draw Closer
PRAYER
The continued act of turning our hearts and minds to God in prayer creates within us a habitual disposition of humility. Additionally, as a conversation with God and a way to silence our minds and hearts, we grow in our ability discern to the movements of the Holy Spirit and hear His words in the “gentle wind” (cf. 1 Kings 19:10-12).
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Discover God's Amazing Love, Mercy and Healing at our Parish Mission Feb. 19th, 20th, and 21st at 7pm All three nights are different, save the dates!
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Get the Laudate app and pray the Liturgy of the Hours
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Practice this Prayer Exercise (if you have anything negative in your heart towards someone else) Pray for the person(s) each day for the 40 days Lent, by praying humbly that you want them to receive only the best from God, all the blessings and goodness that God can give.
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Listen to the Bible in the Year Podcast
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Explore different ways to pray: visio divina, lectio divina, imaginative prayer - Come to our Lay Carmelite Sunday Prayer Event at 12:15pm for adoration, a talk, lectio divina and an evening prayer
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Practice Lectio Divina with a 30-Day Walk with Jesus Journal
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Do a scriptural rosary
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Say the Litany of Humility each night
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Listen to AbidingTogether Podcast with Sister Miriam Heidland SOLT
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Say the Rosary, daily in Church after the 12:05pm Mass
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Attend Stations of the Cross, ever Friday at 6pm
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Go to Adoration, Every Friday night at 7pm
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Go to Formed.org, do the 4-part series on Living Lent as a Family
FAST
As you fast this Lent, explore what is occurring in your heart. In your fast, pray through the desires that are hurtful and misleading to you. Prayfully consider which of the seven deadly sins (Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, and Envy) are causing you to separate yourself from intimacy with our Lord.
Some ways you can fast are:
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From perfection and control
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From unchaste thoughts, words, and actions
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From making others things more of priority in life than God
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From wanting what I don’t have
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From neglecting your spouse, friendships, and/or yourself
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From road rage
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From (excessive) social media usage
ALMSGIVING
More than simply giving money, almsgiving is an act of sacrifical love that incorporates both prayer and fasting and manifests itself by caring for our neighbor in need. The primary way we, as Christians, do this is through the corporal acts of mercy: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to travelers, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, and to bury the dead.
Consider these acts of almsgiving:
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Join one of our Ministries, Small Community Groups, or start a new Small Group, Call 201-290-8756 or email: Srector@assumptionchurchemerson.org
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Volunteer to bring Communion to the Homebound
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Prepare snack bags with us so "No NJ child goes to school hungry" this Spring.
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Volunteer for Sunday Mass (Altar Servers, Mass Greeters, Ushers, Choir, Playing an Instrument, or Learn how to give Holy Communion, become a Lector or sing in the Choir)
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Volunteer to work on team and help us bring Alpha to our parish
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Make a Lenten gift to Assumption, and help us in our mission to bring Jesus to everyone
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Help us build faith in someone else, join our parish faith formation committee.
Community Groups at Church of the Assumption are Christ-centered small groups where one is accompanied in their faith journey through genuine and caring relationships.
You might consider joining these new groups:
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Men's Group (21-30's)
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Women's Group (21-30ish)
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Mom's Daytime Prayer Group (Mom's of Babies up to Preschool)
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Women's Prayer Group (Intergenerational)
Or you might start your own.
We'll show you how.
Interested in joining one this Lent?
Catholic Kids Homilies for Ash Wednesday and all the Weeks of Lent (Catholic Kids Media)
The Sacraments
Lent is also the time for the baptized to renew their baptismal commitment, while those who desire to become Catholics enter a process of learning and discernment, (adult RCIA) in preparation for baptism during the Easter Vigil.
If you have not received all of your sacraments, we would be happy to speak with you.
