Lent 2023

Lent is the Church’s  annual season of preparation for Easter. The faithful and those new to faith are encouraged to greater attention to the word of God as they grow more deeply as disciples of Christ. Renewed efforts in prayer, penance, and giving nobly characterize this season. At Nativity there are a wealth of opportunities to observe Lent and we invite you and your family to join us.

Daily Mass

Monday – Friday 5:30pm in the Chapel
Saturdays 5pm/Sundays 9 & 10:45am in the Church
Saturdays 5pm/Sundays 9 & 10:45am live online
(on-demand available beginning at noon)

Confessions

in the Sanctuary

Saturdays: 12:00-1:00pm
After all Masses the weekend of March 18-19
Wednesday, April 5th: 4:00-5:00pm
Good Friday, April 7th: 2:00-5:00pm

Eucharistic Adoration

Sundays: 9am – 12n – in the Chapel
First Fridays: 9:00am-5:00pm – in the Chapel
After all Masses the weekend of March 4 & 5 – in the Church
Nativity also partners with the Baltimore Basilica in their Perpetual Adoration
Program each Friday, 8am – 1pm. For more information:
churchnativity.com/adoration

Healing Prayer

Saturday, March 11: 3:00-5:00pm in the Pavilion and online
Anointing of the Sick – after all Masses the weekend of March 11 & 12 – in the Church

The Rosary

Monday-Friday: 5:00pm – in the Chapel

Stations of the Cross

Fridays: 4:15pm – in the Chapel

Giving & Almsgiving

The foundational call of Christians to charity is a frequent theme of the Gospels
and a special project of Lent. We are asked to focus more intently on
“almsgiving” which means the provision of goods and services, works of mercy
and charity, or financial support to the “poor” as they are present around us.
Giving also includes our tithe or offering, our worship offering in our place of
worship as an act of worship. To learn more about giving to Nativity please
click this link.

During Lent the faithful also have the opportunity to participate in the
Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries.

The Appeal supports the work of Catholic Parishes, Catholic Charities, and
Catholic Schools throughout the Archdiocese and is our annual opportunity to
lend a helping hand to so much good and great work that goes on throughout
the year.

Lenten Message Series

Heal

We all have wounds in need of healing: wounds from broken relationships,
wounds from insults and disappointments and attacks on our heart. We are
wounded from our own personal sin, the sin of others and even attacks on our
identity from the enemy.

Wounds do not make us different, they are the inevitable result of living in a
fallen and broken world. Yet, we often feel embarrassed and ashamed of our
wounds. We deny them to ourselves and to others.

That’s the bad news. The Good News is that Jesus came to save us. Salvation
isn’t only about deliverance from sin and death, it’s about healing, health, and
wholeness. Jesus comes to heal our mind and heart, emotions and
relationships, even our spirit and soul. And the Jesus who, time and again in his
public ministry, literally healed the sick and infirm, still shares such miracles
among us today.

In this series we’ll look at our need for healing and how we can open up our
hearts and our lives so that the divine healer can set us free and draw us closer
to him.

All weekend Masses February 18 through March 26.

Lenten Small Group Program

Together with our message series, we are offering small group opportunities just for the season of Lent. Each week groups will be discussing and reflecting together on the weekend message/homily of the previous weekend. It’s never too late to join a group, and we have groups meeting all over the community
and online: churchnativity.com/groups

Fasting & Abstinence

When fasting, a person eats one full meal and two smaller, simpler ones only.
All the faithful are also called to abstain from meat on that day as well as all the
Fridays of Lent. “Giving up” other foods and drink, such as desserts or wine,
are also encouraged as personal penances.

Lenten Service Projects

Throughout the season of Lent Nativity is offering dozens of service projects
right here in our own city of Baltimore. Serve with friends, serve with family
members, serve from home. Check it all out and sign up to serve this
season: churchnativity.com/missions/opportunities