Teachings of the Catholic Church: Lent
Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture, we serve by giving alms, and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. (USCCB)
The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls.
Since the earliest days of the church there is evidence of some form of Lenten preparation for Easter; but the duration and nature of this preparation took countless centuries to evolve and is still changing even today. Vatican II documents, particularly Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), transformed Lent from a strictly penitential, rule-based season into a dual focus on baptismal renewal and penance. While fasting rules were revised separately by Pope Paul VI's Paenitemini, the Council emphasized a deeper, internal conversion.
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II stated, "The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent — the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it, and penance — should be given greater emphasis in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis. It is by means of them that the Church prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter, while they hear God's word more frequently and devote more time to prayer" (no. 109).
Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church), promoted the "universal call to holiness," framing Lenten fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as acts of the "People of God" rather than mere legal obligations.
Lent is a time of truth. Christians are called by the Church to prayer, penance, fasting and self-sacrifice, place themselves before God and recognize themselves; they rediscover themselves.
It is a time that makes us think about our relationship with “Our Father”; it re-establishes the order that should reign between brothers and sisters; it is a time that makes us jointly responsible for one another; it detaches us from our selfishness, small-mindedness, meanness and pride; it is a time that enlightens us and makes us understand better that we too, like Christ, must serve.
Lent, founded upon the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is the primary season of penance in the year and must be observed with the greatest strictness for the love of God who instituted this season for our healing. Due to the primordial importance of Lent, over time, the history and customs of observed prayers, fasting and abstinence, and almsgiving have formed a definitive part of annual Catholic life have always been encouraged by the church.
The Gentle Mastery of Christ. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:28-30)
—Deacon Gerry Flamm
“Dear children! Today too I call you in a special way to open yourselves to God the Creator and to become active. I call you, little children, to see at this time who needs your spiritual or material help. By your example, little children, you will be the outstretched hand of God that humanity is seeking. Only in this way will you understand that you are called to bear witness and become joyful bearers of God’s word and love. Thank you for having responded to my call!”
