LENT is known as a Season of Penance but
it is also a Season of Grace. Special grace is poured out by Jesus Christ to
people to be converted and be closer to the Him. It is 40 days of Penance,
Prayer and Almsgiving. This is why we aptly call it Kuwaresma.
In the Bible, 40 days or 40 years is a period
of preparation. Hence the people journeyed for 40 years in the desert before
they entered the Promised Land. Jesus too spent 40 days in the desert before he
started his public ministry. 40 days and nights of rain cleansed the world of
violence in the time of Noah to bring about a new creation. The prophet Elijah
journeyed for 40 days to meet God on Mt Horeb as Moses fasted for 40 days
before the Law was given to him on Sinai. Thus every year the Christian people
pass through the 40 days of of lent to be renewed in preparation for the
celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter. In olden times the period
of lent was a time of intense preparation for baptism which was administered on
Easter. The catechumens participate in the suffering and death of Jesus in
order to participate in his New Life in baptism. We die with Christ so that we
may rise with him. This is the Christian life. Now for us who are already
baptized, lent has become a season of intense purification so that we may fully
share in the new life of the Resurrection.
The discipline of lent is spelled out by
Penance, Prayer and Almsgiving. Penance means self-denial. We deny ourselves to
gain more self-control and to free ourselves from the pull of sin. We heed the
call of Jesus: “If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and
follow me.” (Mk 8:34) This is done through fasting and abstinence. First, we
abstain from sinful words, works and habits. Then we can fast from what we
naturally crave, hence from food. Those who are 14 years old and above abstain
from all meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of lent. Those who are 21
years old till 59 years old are asked to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday,
which means, to take only one full meal during those days. We can also include
other forms of penance such as no chocolate or no coffee during the 40 days, or
no television or no facebook, or even doing physical exercises during this
period. The purpose is to say “no” to self so that we can say “yes” to God and
to others. We say “yes” to God by praying more and intently during these days.
It can mean reading the Bible, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, making the Way
of the Cross, or praying the Rosary. We say “yes” to others by various works of
charity, like the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Hence in lent we have
Alay Kapwa, Fast to Feed, and more intense participation in Pondo ng Pinoy. Let
us listen to what the Bible says: “The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove
the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go
free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor.
Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your
own relatives.” (Isaiah 58:6-7)
The reception of the ash on Ash
Wednesday means that we are ready to enter this special season of repentance.
Hence one formula that is said as the ashes are being imposed is: “Repent and
believe in the Good News.” Since Biblical times the ash on the head is a symbol
of humility and penance. We are reminded of this by the other formula that is
said over us: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”
Let us then enter into this season of
grace with humility and a repentant heart.
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