The Lenten Season

By: Luis Nava

Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent, just passed a little over a week ago, and to ready yourself for this new liturgical season, I hope you take the time to read this article so

you can learn more about what Lent means for us Catholics. Lent is a time of preparation for the

overwhelming joy of Easter, so it is important to live Lent devoutly and in a Christ-fearing way.

Beginning on Ash Wednesday (February 18th this year) and concluding on the sundown

of Holy Thursday, Lent is a time of penance and preparation that lasts 40 days. The 40 days of

Lent are deeply rooted in the Bible, with the number 40 standing for “testing, trial, penance,

purification, and renewal” (USCCB). In the Old Testament, the Great Flood that Noah endured

lasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses traveled in the desert for 40 years before seeing the

burning bush and being called to shepherd the Israelites, then Moses and God’s people traveled

in the desert 40 years after escaping Egypt. Elijah, the great prophet, spent 40 days in the desert

before having an encounter with God, and the Ninevites had 40 days to repent before God would

destroy the city of Nineveh. In the New Testament, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert being

tempted before beginning His public ministry. Clearly, both the number 40 and the desert have a

deeper symbolism, so we can view this Lenten season as a sort of walk through the desert with

God. We always face temptation, and this is a time when we have to especially seek to imitate

Jesus. We must stay strong in the face of challenges, and remain patient, knowing that Easter lies

ahead.

Returning to the book of Jonah, after the prophet Jonah tells the Ninevites that God plans

to punish them, the king encourages his subjects to repent. They wear sackcloths and ashes, and

they fast. God then takes pity on the people, and spares them. Just like the Ninevites, we have to

recognize that we often go astray, and that we sin. On Ash Wednesday, we mark our foreheads

with ashes, showing our repentance. The Lenten season is a great time to go to the Sacrament of

Reconciliation in order to ready our hearts for the Resurrection of the Lord.

Fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are three key components that accompany Lent. Fasting

includes refraining from eating meat on Fridays as well as only eating one full meal and two

smaller meals that do not add up to a full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I will not

get into all of the details of rules about fasting partly for the sake of time, but I encourage you to

visit this USCCB page, and scroll to Fasting and Resources on Fasting in order to find

information about more of the rules.

Prayer during Lent can take the form of praying the Stations of the Cross on Fridays, as

well as reflecting on the 7 last words of Jesus on the Cross. Prayer may seem like a chore at

times, but connecting with God is necessary for the soul, and we always need to make the effort

to seek God. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.” Even

when you are tired at the end of a long day, seek Him out! He will help you find meaning in your

exhaustion and direction in your life.

Almsgiving is also a necessary part of Lent. As teens, we may be able to give some

money to help others, but most of our contributions will probably come from our time.

Almsgiving can happen by volunteering at a soup kitchen, food pantry, or at your parish. In John

21, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, and then Jesus tells him to “feed my sheep.” We are called

to feed Christ’s sheep, to tend to His sheep, to take care of His people. I encourage you to give

up some time this Lenten season; try to make someone else feel loved. Even starting within your

own house.

This Lenten season, try to grow in a trust for God. In the midst of any challenges you

may face, know that God has a plan for you, and that Easter will come. We must die with Christ

in order to rise with Him, and suffer with Him in order to rejoice with Him. The quote “Never

doubt in the darkness what you knew was true in the light,” resonates particularly with me. God

loves you, and He is with you, even when it may not seem like it. If the situation seems bleak,

remember past moments when God delivered you from suffering. He will never abandon you.

Remember how God lifted up His Son from the dead. Take confidence in Him, who is almighty!

To close, I want to share a tale that illustrates the greatness of God’s love. A man was

walking alone in the desert. He was tired and hungry, and when he looked at the ground, he saw

only one pair of footprints. So, he asked God why He had abandoned him. God replied, “The

footprints are Mine, I have been carrying you on My shoulder.”

This Lenten season, let us try to be humble, prayerful, generous, and loving. Let us help

our brothers and sisters in need, trusting God to act through us.

Sources:

usccb.org

Hallow.com