Lenten Lessons for Kids: Clean Monday

Date: 2010.02.15 | Category: Faith, Lent, Orthodoxy, Punky | Tags:

In order to include the children in the Lenten season, I have put together a short lesson for each day to teach them about Lent and our faith.

* A CLEAN BEDROOM IS INVITING TO THE ANGELS
* A CLEAN BODY CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A CLEAN BELLY (no sweets)
* A CLEAN MIND IS ABLE TO THINK OF GOD (reading the Bible)
* A CLEAN MOUTH IS FILLED WITH SWEET WORDS (“I love you”)
* A CLEAN HAND IS ONE THAT HAS HELPED OTHERS
* A CLEAN CONSCIENCE IS ACHIEVED BY SAYING “I’M SORRY” AND “I FORGIVE”
* ONLY A CLEAN SOUL CAN BECOME A GOOD PLACE FOR OUR LORD TO LIVE

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Clean Monday (from orthodoxwiki.org) is the first day of the Orthodox Christian Great Lent, that occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Pascha (Easter).  The common term for this day, “Clean Monday”, refers to the leaving behind of sinful attitudes and non-fasting foods.  The theme of Clean Monday is set by the Old Testament reading, which says in part:

Wash yourselves and ye shall be clean; put away the wicked ways from your souls before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, consider the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come then, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool.