Lent, Part 1

(Plain Text Version)

(This article was originally published in March, 2021.  The celebration dates have been updated.)

As Christians, we celebrate the great events of God’s love for us.  We celebrated God becoming man during the Christmas season.  Next, we will take time to remember our great need for God.

Our Lord Jesus became man so that He could suffer and die for us.  Good Friday (March 29) is dedicated to the memory of these sufferings.  On Easter Sunday (March 31), we rejoice that    Jesus overcame death by rising from the dead.

We prepare for Easter with 40 days of penance (small discomforts to express our sorrow for our sins).  This time is called Lent.  Jesus     prepared for His public ministry by fasting in the desert for forty days.  Although we aren’t expected to go to this extreme, we can imitate Christ in different ways. 

For Catholics, some penances are required.  These are: 

Fasting on Ash Wednesday (February 14) and Good Friday by all Catholics from age 18 to 59.  This type of fasting means eating only enough to keep up with work or studies.  One full meal may be taken, along with two smaller ones.  No solid foods between meals are allowed. 

Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent by Catholics 14 years old and over.

For everyone, other penances are highly recommended.  They fall into three    general categories: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.   The individual can choose the best ways of doing these things.  The goal is to grow in our love for God and to get free from sin. 

It is helpful to decide what we will do during Lent, and write it down.  This will help us to remember what we planned to do.

Lent begins on  Ash Wednesday, when ashes are applied to the forehead by a priest or deacon.  It lasts until Easter Sunday. 

The goal behind all of this is to unite ourselves to the suffering Christ, so that we can enter into the joy of His life in Heaven!   

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