Lent #Pray40 Part I: Imitation of Christ (2023)
Pray40 Challenge 2023: Join Jonathan Roumie, Jim Caviezel, Mark Wahlberg, Immaculée Ilibagiza, Fr. Mike, and Mother Olga this Lent as we strive to become more and more like Jesus by reading from the spiritual classic, The Imitation of Christ. Each week, we will reflect on different themes from the book, share weekly fasting challenges, meditate on the Corporal Works of Mercy, and listen to powerful reflections on the Sunday Gospel.
The translation of The Imitation of Christ we will be using comes from Pauline Books & Media. You can learn more about the book here: https://hallow.com/ioc-book
33 sessions
1Litany of HumilityWelcome to our first day of Pray40! Jonathan Roumie - the actor who portrays Jesus in the TV series, The Chosen - will lead us in praying the Litany of Humility to prepare us for the imitation of Christ.Week 1: Wednesday with Jonathan
2HumilityWe'll continue reflecting on the virtue of humility as we read our first passages from the Imitation of Christ (Book 3, Chapter 23 & 13; Book 2, Chapter 2). Note: Feel free to choose either Jim Caviezel or Jonathan Roumie as your voice guide.Week 1: Thursday with Jim
3Fasting: FoodEvery Friday Mark Wahlberg will share a fasting challenge with us. This week we'll seek to fast from food. (Note: For those who have a difficult relationship with food or are unable to fast from food, feel free to commit to a different kind of fast.)Week 1: Friday with Mark
4Work of Mercy: Feed the Hungry & ThirstyEvery Saturday, we'll reflect on a different Work of Mercy. Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart will share personal stories and offer practical ways to give. Today we begin with Feeding the Hungry and Giving Drink to the Thirsty.Week 1: Saturday with Mother Olga
5Sunday Reflection: TemptationEach Sunday this Lent, we'll listen to a reflection on the Gospel. Today we'll meditate on Jesus' Temptation in the Desert from Matthew 4:1-11. You can choose a homily from Fr. Mike Schmitz or a reflection from Jeff Cavins in the guide menu.
Week 2: Sunday with Fr. Mike or Jeff
6Resisting TemptationWe'll begin our new week reflecting on the theme of perseverance and resisting temptation. We'll read from the Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 35.Week 2: Monday with Jonathan
7Prayer: Scriptural VersesImmaculée Ilibagiza - Rwandan-American Author & Speaker - joins us this Lent to share personal stories and lead us in prayer on Tuesdays. She'll share a testimony and then lead us through meditation on different passages from Scripture.Week 2: Tuesday with Immaculée
8PerseveranceWe'll continue reflecting on the theme of perseverance and resisting temptation as we read another chapter from the Imitation of Christ (Book 1, Chapter 22, Sections 2-5).Week 2: Wednesday with Jonathan & Jim
9Silence: PerseveranceEvery Thursday, Jim Caviezel or Jonathan Roumie will help lead us into extended silent prayer with God. We'll open our time with a brief excerpt from the Imitation of Christ (Book I, Chapter 25, Section 2).Week 2: Thursday with Jim
10Fasting: Win the MorningToday Mark Wahlberg will read from Book 3, Chapter 56 of the Imitation of Christ and give us our fasting challenge based on the writings of St. Josemaría Escrivá.Week 2: Friday with Mark
11Work of Mercy: Welcome the StrangerMother Olga will share some personal experiences of Welcoming the Stranger and then invite us to practice this Work of Mercy in our daily lives.Week 2: Saturday with Mother Olga
12Sunday Reflection: TransfigurationOn this Second Sunday of Lent, we'll reflect on the Gospel of the Transfiguration from Matthew 17:1-9. You can choose to listen to a homily from Fr. Mike Schmitz or a reflection from Jeff Cavins in the guide menu.
Week 3: Sunday with Fr. Mike or Jeff
13Glory of GodWe'll begin our new theme for the week on God's glory. We'll read from Book 3, Chapter 47 of the Imitation of Christ and hear how we need to endure all things to gain everlasting life.Week 3: Monday with Jonathan
14Prayer: Praising GodImmaculée Ilibagiza shares what the Lord's Prayer teaches us about praise. In the short & middle sessions, we will praise God with Psalm 136, and in the longer session, we will praise God by meditating on the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.Week 3: Tuesday with Immaculée
15Poverty and GloryWe'll reflect on the nature of God's glory as we read Book 3, Chapter 21 of the Imitation of Christ.Week 3: Wednesday with Jonathan & Jim
16Silence: I Am the WayWe'll enter into extended silence today. We'll open our time with a brief passage from the Imitation of Christ (Book 3, Chapter 56, Section 1), and in the session led by Jonathan Roumie, we'll also hear a reflection from St. Bernard of Clairvaux.Week 3: Thursday with Jim
17Fasting: Grow in EnduranceMark Wahlberg gives us a new fasting challenge for the week - to strive to grow in physical or spiritual endurance.Week 3: Friday with Mark
18Work of Mercy: Clothe the NakedThis week, Mother Olga will reflect on Clothing the Naked and show us how this Work of Mercy could be mean more than giving physical clothing.Week 3: Saturday with Mother Olga
19Sunday Reflection: At the WellOn this Third Sunday of Lent, we reflect on Jesus' encounter with the Woman at the Well in John 4:5-42. You can choose a homily from Fr. Mike Schmitz or a reflection rom Jeff Cavins from the guide menu.
Week 4: Sunday with Fr. Mike or Jeff
20Prayer & Listening for GodThis week, we'll seek to imitate Christ by exploring the theme of prayer. We'll hear His conversation with a disciple as we read Book 3, Chapter 1 of the Imitation of Christ.Week 4: Monday with Jonathan
21Prayer: I ThirstImmaculée Ilibagiza will share about the impact of prayer in her own life and then lead us in meditating on Jesus' thirst with a writing attributed to Mother Teresa.Week 4: Tuesday with Immaculée
22The Source of Living WaterWe'll continue with our theme of prayer as we contemplate Jesus as the source of living water. We'll read from Book 3, Chapter 27 of the Imitation of Christ.Week 4: Wednesday with Jonathan & Jim
23Silence: God's WillWe'll enter into our usual extended silence today, and we'll open our time with an excerpt from the Imitation of Christ (Book 3, Chapter 23, Sections 1-3).Week 4: Thursday with Jim
24Fasting: TechnologyToday Mark Wahlberg challenges us to fast from anything that may steal our time so that we can devote ourselves to prayer and charity. He'll open our time with an excerpt from the Imitation of Christ - Book 2, Chapter 11.Week 4: Friday with Mark
25Work of Mercy: Visit the SickIn this session today, Mother Olga shares more personal stories and moves us to Visit the Sick in our own communities. We will conclude our week's theme of prayer by interceding for those who are ill.Week 4: Saturday with Mother Olga
26Sunday Reflection: Man Born BlindAt this halfway point in Lent, we will meditate on the story of the Man Born Blind from John 9:1-41. You can choose a homily from Fr. Mike Schmitz or a reflection rom Jeff Cavins from the guide menu.
Week 5: Sunday with Fr. Mike of Jeff
27Desires and SurrenderWe begin this new week with the theme of surrender and a reading from Book 3, Chapter 15 of the Imitatino of Christ. (On this Solemnity of St. Joseph, we ask for his prayers as we seek to desire God's will above all else.)Week 5: Monday with Jonathan
28Prayer: Litany of TrustImmaculée Ilibagiza shares her final testimony this Lent and helps us imitate Christ by deepening our trust in God and giving ourselves to the Father. We will pray the Litany of Trust together from Sr. Faustina of the Sisters of Life.Week 5: Tuesday with Immaculée
29Jesus, I Surrender to YouOur reading from Book 3, Chapter 37 of the Imitation of Christ will help us seek to abandon ourselves to God so that we may find Him.Week 5: Wednesday with Jonathan & Jim
30Silence: Nothing but You, LordWe'll have our usual extended time today for silent prayer, and we'll open with a story from St. Thomas Aquinas. Feel free to choose either Jim Caviezel or Jonathan Roumie as your guide.Week 5: Thursday with Jim
31Fasting: SurrenderOn this Friday, Mark Wahlberg challenges us to discern with God how God is asking us to surrender completely to Him. Mark will open our time with an excerpt from Book 3, Chapter 19 of the Imitation of Christ.Week 5: Friday with Mark
32Work of Mercy: Visit the ImprisonedMother Olga will reflect today on Visiting the Imprisoned, showing us the imprisoned can mean those who are incarcerated as well as those who are not behind bars. She'll suggest ways we can be the liberating face of Christ to others.Week 5: Saturday with Mother Olga
33Sunday Reflection: LazarusOn this Fifth Sunday of Lent, we'll listen to the Gospel of the Raising of Lazarus from the Dead in John 11:1-45. You can choose a homily from Fr. Mike Schmitz or a reflection from Jeff Cavins in the guide menu.
Week 6: Sunday with Fr. Mike or Jeff