2024 STA Lenten Challenge

The Lenten season is a 40 day period that prepares us to celebrate the joy of the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. The three pillars of Lent are: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. These challenge us to fervently pursue the Lord and call us to ponder how we can live out the STA mission of faith, service, justice, and moral leadership in all that we do. During this Lenten season, the STA community will practice these three pillars through a variety of activities offered by Campus Ministry and Student Life in preparation for the Easter celebrations. 

Join our community in prayer and reflection each week during the Lenten Season. See below for our weekly prayers. We also invite you to join us for mass each Wednesday morning from 7:25-7:50 AM in the STA Chapel.

For more information on our 2024 STA Lenten Challenge, please click here.

If you are looking for more prayers, check out the Hallow App!

Ash Wednesday (2/14/24)

Lord, 

In this season of Lent, as we embark on a journey of repentance and renewal, we ask for Your guidance and strength. Help us to recognize the areas in our lives where we have fallen short of our best, whether in our relationships, our studies, or our trust in You. Grant us the courage to confront our mistakes, and the grace to learn from them. May we approach this day with open hearts and minds, ready to receive Your mercy and forgiveness. Lord, as we bear the mark of ashes on our foreheads, let it be a visible sign of our desire for You. Bless our St. Thomas community during this holy season, uniting us in prayer and in service to others. May we grow closer to You and to one another, and may Your light shine brightly within us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who suffered and died for our salvation.

Amen.

First Sunday of Lent (2/18/24)

Lord God,

As we reflect on this first Sunday of Lent, we come before You with hearts full of anticipation and hope. In this season of renewal and transformation, we seek Your guidance and Your grace. Grant us the courage to embrace the disciplines of Lent— prayer, fasting, and almsgiving— as we strive to grow closer to You. Help us to deepen our relationship with You and with one another during this sacred time. Lord, as we reflect on the temptations Jesus faced in the desert, strengthen us in our own spiritual battles. Give us the wisdom and strength to turn away from the things that keep us from you. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may be empowered to live as disciples of Christ, bringing Your light and love to all we encounter. May this season of Lent be a time of transformation for each of us individually and for our school community as a whole.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Lent (2/25/24)

Lord, As we pause to reflect on this second Sunday of Lent, we recognize that Lent is not just a season, but a journey—a journey of transformation, a journey of growth, and a journey of faith. Grant us the grace to walk this Lenten journey with patience, knowing that true growth takes time, and that Your timing is always perfect. Just as Jesus journeyed through the desert, facing temptation and trial, help us to navigate the challenges of our own lives with patience and perseverance. May each step we take during this Lenten journey bring us closer to You, and deepen our relationship with You. Bless each one of us with the awareness that we are all pilgrims on this journey of faith, supporting one another and walking together towards the promise of Easter joy. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who journeyed to the cross and beyond, to bring us salvation and new life.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent (3/3/24)

Lord God, As we continue on this Lenten journey, we come before You with hearts open. In this season of repentance and renewal, we acknowledge our brokenness and our need for Your healing grace. Grant us the courage to confront the wounds within us, and the faith to trust in Your promise of restoration. Guide us on this Lenten journey of healing, as we seek wholeness found in You. Just as Jesus journeyed to bring healing to the sick and the broken, help us to journey with Him, bringing Your healing love to those in need around us. Bless our community with Your healing presence, that we may be agents of Your compassion and mercy to all who are hurting and in need of Your touch. May this third week of Lent be a time of profound healing, where Your light shines brightly, and Your love transforms us from within. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who bore our infirmities and carried our diseases, that we may have life abundantly in Him.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Lent (3/10/24)

Lord God, 

This week, we come before You with hearts softened by Your tender mercy. In this season of reflection and repentance, help us to embrace the tenderness of Your love, which knows no bounds and never fails. Grant us the grace to recognize Your gentle touch in the midst of our busy lives, and to respond with openness and gratitude. Just as Jesus showed tender compassion to the lost and the broken, help us to emulate His example, extending kindness and understanding to all we encounter. Bless our St. Thomas community with Your tender presence, that we may create a space of warmth and acceptance for all who seek refuge and solace. May this Sunday of Lent be a reminder of Your unfailing love and tender care for each of us, and inspire us to share that love with others. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who is the embodiment of Your tender mercy, and who calls us to love one another as He has loved us.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent (3/17/24)

Lord God, As we move toward the final days of Lent, we are reminded of the transformative power of Your love. Guide us along this path of renewal, granting us the grace to embrace the journey with humility, meekness, and willingness. Help us to continue to recognize the areas in our lives that need transformation, and give us the courage to surrender them to You. May we be open to Your gentle touch, allowing Your Spirit to work within us, shaping us more fully into the image of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus willingly embarked on His journey to the cross, teach us to follow His example of selflessness and obedience. May we walk with Him in meekness, trusting in Your plan for our lives, even when the path seems uncertain. Bless our hearts with a spirit of openness and receptivity, that we may be transformed by Your love, and become instruments of Your peace in the world. May this Lenten journey continue to be a time of profound growth and renewal, where we are continually drawn closer to You. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Palm Sunday (3/24/24)

Lord God, As we reflect on this Palm Sunday, we are filled with joy and gratitude for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. On this day, we remember His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, welcomed with shouts of praise and adoration. Grant us, Lord, hearts that are open to receive Him, not just as a triumphant king, but as the Savior of our souls. Help us to lay down our own palm branches before Him, offering our praises and our lives in humble submission to His will. As we journey through this Holy Week, may we walk alongside Jesus, bearing witness to His love, His sacrifice, and His victory over sin and death. Bless our community with a spirit of unity and reverence, that we may enter into this holiest of weeks with sincerity and devotion. May the events of Palm Sunday serve as a reminder of Your boundless love for us and the promise of salvation that You offer to all who believe. We ask this through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.