How Love fulfills Lent

A Litany of Lent ... What to Give up

Begin by asking youth what their understanding of lent is. See if they feel lent is an easy thing to respond to or something that is difficult.

Hand out the below list.

Give up complaining ... ___________________________________

Give up gossiping ... ___________________________________

Give up jealousy ... ____________________________________

Give up pessimism ... ____________________________________

Give up harsh judgments ... ____________________________________

Give up discouragement ... ____________________________________

Give up bitterness ... ____________________________________

Give up negativism ... ____________________________________

Give up anger ... ____________________________________

Give up worry ... ____________________________________

Give up pettiness ... ____________________________________

Give up "I can't do" ... ____________________________________

Have youth pick three or four of the above which they feel are most needed for them to overcome this year.

Record them and see what choices the group made. Which of the above were most frequently chosen? Briefly discuss why these choices were made.

Sing the hymn "Here I am Lord". Point out that we need to be ready and open to hear God�s word and guidance as we continue our discussion.

Hand out the next list and ask your youth to match these items with the things above to give up for Lent. Do not take a lot of time. Note that although there are answers, which I have listed below, different youth may view these match-ups differently. That is all right and will lead to good discussion. Give no more than two or three minutes to complete.

Focus on my talents

Pray for Trust

Trust God to guide

Be filled with Hope

Focus on Gratitude

Focus on being positive

Be more patient

Be a good listener

Focus on being open-minded

Become an optimist (God is with you)

Think kindly thoughts

Turn to forgiveness

Show the youth the chart below and discuss why these choices were made. Allow as much discussion as is needed. See the accompanying figure of the chart I made to discuss these matters. The Bible verse references will be discussed a little later.

A Reflection on Lent ...what to give up

Give up complaining ... Focus on Gratitude

Give up gossiping ... Be a good listener

Give up jealousy ... Pray for Trust

Give up pessimism ... Become an optimist (God is with you)

Give up harsh judgments ... Think kindly thoughts

Give up discouragement ... Be filled with Hope

Give up bitterness ... Turn to forgiveness

Give up negativism ... Focus on being positive

Give up anger ... Be more patient

Give up worry ... Trust God to guide

Give up pettiness ... Focus on being open-minded

Give up "I can't do" ... Focus on my talents

Now let's look at the scriptures listed below. These definitions of love tell us a little more about the things we should be doing to, in a positive way, "give up" those things in the left hand column above.

Read the scriptures, I Corinthians 13: 4-8; I John 4: 18-21; Micah 6: 8 then identify each as shown below.

Give up complaining ... love mercy, walk humbly (Micah 6:8)

Give up gossiping ... walk humbly (Micah 6:8)

Give up jealousy ... love envieth not (I Corinthians 13)

Give up pessimism ... love believes all things (I Corinthians 13)

Give up harsh judgments ... love is kind (I Corinthians 13)

Give up discouragement ... love hopes all things (I Corinthians 13)

Give up bitterness ... love is not easily provoked (I Corinthians 13)

Give up negativism ... love believes all things (I Corinthians 13)

Give up anger ... love is patient (I Corinthians 13)

Give up worry ... there is no fear in love (I John 4)

Give up pettiness ... love seeks not its own (I Corinthians 13)

Give up "I can't do" ... love believes all things (I Corinthians 13)

Conclude by pointing out that Godly love fulfills all of the things that the writer of this litany wanted to give up.

Pray that God will fill each of us with His love so that Lent will no longer be so mysterious.

Sing the gospel hymn "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" and point out that as we walk close to our Lord, we become more and more filled with his love.