Early this year, many people asked me when was Lent beginning and when they discovered that Ash Wednesday falls on 5 March, the immediate reaction was one of surprise at the fact that it was late as compared to other years. Come mid-February most Catholics are all geared to start their regular Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and alms giving. This sombre atmosphere is further accentuated by the fact that our music in the liturgical celebrations becomes focused on themes of repentance and the cross. I remember some years ago when the organist accidentally started the introduction for the Gloria at mass and immediately all eyes were turned towards him and gave a stare that was enough to pierce any solid wall.
Catholics are so meticulous in keeping the age old practices of Lent that many of us have learnt since childhood and every year without fail and without changing an iota follow them religiously. It may be alright to treat someone unjustly or be rude to another but eating meat on a Friday during Lent would be considered unacceptable.
Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ – his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection so that our lives may be transformed beyond the forty days. Though the Bible does not specifically mention the custom of Lent, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found especially in the Old Testament (cf. 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21).
The danger of overly focusing on the external actions that are required during the season of Lent is that they may become ‘rituals’ that have no transforming effect. The Church call us and offers us ‘the way’ during this holy season with the hope that we become better witnesses of Jesus who emptied himself so that we can be filled with his graces.
Pope Francis in his message for Lent this year concludes with the hope that ‘we can become merciful and act with mercy’ probably recognizing that the world needs this as opposed to the power and greed that we are surrounded with. He challenges us towards the path of conversion: ‘Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing.’ These are not mere philosophical concepts but practical virtues that are much needed in our world today. These virtues can be an integral part of our Lenten practices: prayer leading us to be just towards one another as we are all equal in the eyes of God, fasting should teach us simplicity of life, and almsgiving calling us to sharing our resources with those in need.
‘What are you giving up for Lent?’ is a common question among Catholics. It is not just about ‘giving up’ but Lent is also a time of ‘giving in’ to God who wants to fill us with his love so that we can be renewed and transformed. The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen speaking about Lent said, “We can think of Lent as a time to eradicate evil or cultivate virtue… asceticism and mortification are not the ends of a Christian life; they are only the means. The end is charity. Penance merely makes an opening in our ego in which the Light of God can pour. As we deflate ourselves, God fills us. And it is GOD’s arrival that is the important event.”
