Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Lets Talk About Lent

“This is what I want you to do. I want you to go out and buy the largest box of Esther Price Chocolates. And every day during Lent I want you to eat one piece; because giving up chocolate is for babies”. These are paraphrased words from a homily given by one of my parish’s priests. A stern looking elderly man who doesn’t mince words.

Lent is just right around the corner and I thought I would delve into what Lent is all about and the Biblical aspects behind it. Shout out to my awesome friend Angie who helped point me in the right direction! The following comes from Dr. Brant Pitre.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and runs through Easter Sunday, and it emulates the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert.  As paragraph 540 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 
Jesus' temptation reveals the way in which the Son of God is Messiah, contrary to the way Satan proposes to him and the way men wish to attribute to him. This is why Christ vanquished the Tempter for us: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning." By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert. (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/540.htm).

Joel 2: 12-18: Here God is calling for a removal from a life of sin to repentance and to return to Him. And it calls the whole community together for a public display of penance. 

On Ash Wednesday we receive ashes on our foreheads which acts as a reminder of our mortality; "Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return." (Genesis 3:19). It also calls to repentance and to return to God; as above referenced in Joel. Ashes are also seen being used in Job 42:6: "Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes". Daniel 9:3, "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes".

From then on we proceed through Lent focusing on prayer, fasting and giving alms, which draws reference to Matthew 6:1-6 & 16-18. Here Jesus tells us to perform these acts in private; as opposed to doing them to be noticed by others. The Catechism further affirms in paragraph 1438: "The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works)". (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1438.htm).

I am bad in 2 of these areas during Lent. I got the fasting part down since we are only required to fast with one big meal and 2 smaller meals, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; while abstaining from meat on Fridays. It is prayer and almsgiving where I struggle. I don't pray as much as I should any time of the year; but during Lent it is only at meals, bedtime, Mass, Easter Triduum, and Stations of the Cross. Perhaps this Lent I can pray more, and daily. I also struggle with almsgiving as of lately, perhaps this Lent, I can give a little something.

Lent is also a time where we are encourage to give something up, or add something else to our daily routine. Going back to the quote opening this post, it has stuck with me because it is true. When I was younger, I gave up candy, soda, sweets, all the stuff that is important to a young child. Now, as an adult, I need to give up something important to adults. For the past few years I have given up Facebook. I first heard of this idea years ago and I scoffed at it. However, after realizing how much time I do spend on Facebook, it was not such a bad idea. I also try to read something to help me focus on Good Friday, then to Easter Sunday.

I hope this was as informative to you as it was me; whereas when I was growing up I just participated in Lent because it was that time of year. Now, I actively participate in it and now have a little knowledge as to why we do this as Catholics. Please pray for me that I may put this new information and self-realization to great use this Lent; which by the way, starts March 6.

Click the link to see the video which gave me this wonderful insight and more. https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/blog/the-biblical-roots-of-ash-wednesday?fbclid=IwAR2oBGciyKUma9ZJNx6aLYGE9SjEgmiUafDA_AZEcl9oyFrY9QNTcXp_Qmo

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