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Lent is a time of reflection and prayerful preparation for Holy Week and Easter when we celebrate the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The forty days of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, refer to the time Jesus spent in the desert after being baptised in the Jordan by John and before beginning his public ministry.
Christians have traditionally followed three activities during Lent, prayer, self-denial (or Fasting) and almsgiving.
In English, the word ‘Lent’ derives from the word for spring and Christians see this as a chance for renewal of faith. Pope Francis describes it as, ‘a season of conversion, a time of freedom.’
This forty-day- season of fasting begins on the Ash Wednesday. The discipline of fasting and praying for forty days can be traced back to the days of Moses (Exodus. 34:28), Elijah (1Kg.19: 8-9) and Jesus (Mt. 4:1-3). Moreover, Jesus taught his apostles that some evil spirits could only be exorcised by prayer and fasting (Mark. 9:29). Also, in the early church, fasting preceded making any essential decisions to gain divine assistance (Acts. 13:2, 14:23).
Jesus forbids Christians from behaving like hypocrites during this time of prayer and fasting. Instead, to be discreet so that the primary objective is not to seek attention from anyone, except the heavenly Father, who sees and rewards everything that is done in private (Mt.6:16-18). Besides, the Lenten season is the ground work of the faithful for Easter through prayer, mortification of the flesh, repentance of sins, and almsgiving.
May the Holy Spirit, continue to awaken our consciousness to imitate Christ who denied everything to Himself to enrich humanity. Likewise, may we be reminded of our obligation to make our brothers and sisters rich even with our limited resources. May this sacred time be an opportunity to let go of all that impedes us from realising our true worth as Daughters and Sons of God.
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