Monday in the First Week of Lent

We pray the traditional invocations and a morning offering, then explore why the one-hour fast before Holy Communion helps shape our desire for Christ and trains daily discipleship. Scripture and brief devotions frame the fast as a small, concrete way to unite our lives to his sacrifice.

• opening prayers and glory be
• morning offering through Mary
• meaning of the one-hour fast
• small sacrifices that build discipline
• Saint Paul on sharing Christ’s sufferings
• examination of fidelity to the fast
• closing invocations to Jesus and Our Lady
• invitation to continue Lenten growth

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful, and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lent and Reflection booklet is now available on Amazon.com
The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store
More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org

Transcript

Opening Prayers And Invocation

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Monday in the first week of Lent, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. Preparation for Mass. Another element of preparation for Mass is the one hour fast before receiving Holy Communion. While this may not seem like much, it in fact used to be much longer. It is at least some small sacrifice that we can offer to the Lord Jesus before coming to Mass and receiving his body and blood in the Eucharist. Since we are participating in His sacrifice, it is good that we have some small sacrifice of our own to unite with His. Saint Paul talks about this in his letter to the Colossians. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. It is not that Christ did not suffer enough, but rather that we must endure our quota of suffering in this life to become fully like him, who suffered, died, and rose from the dead. The fast before communion helps us to do this in a small way. Such small ways can help to build our discipline so that we can take on great penances in appropriate ways and really live the life of Christ fully in the here and now. He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. Are you faithful to keeping this fast before receiving Holy Communion? Do you easily excuse yourself, or do you make it intentionally, knowing that even this small thing can unite you more fully to Christ? All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful, and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Christeros and purchasing our Lent and Reflection booklet is now available on Amazon.com. The Christeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Christeros can be found at theCristeros.org.