Some Questions About Lent

[Guest Guest_hopeful1]

ok, ash wednesday is coming up, and being the good catholic that i am i plan on getting ashes. i also have class that da and i know i'm going to get asked a ton of questions about the big dot on my head ( in other words, a great way to explain the faith). however, theres one little problem, i totally forgot the significance of the ashes, other than it marks the begining of lent. and then that also leads to another one of their questions" well, what's lent?". this is what i know about lent: it's a forty day period which coincideds with easter, that commemorates the forty days jesus was tempted in the desert. and usually during that time catholics sacrifice or add something to their life "to give something back" (for lack of better phrasing) in rememberance of christ ultimate sacrifice and to preare ourselves spiritually for his resurrection, correct? the only other thing is i can anticipate some evangelical saying "so why sacrifice something, are you saying christ sacrifice wasn't enough?"

[cappie]

This is what I will be saying on Ash Wednesday to the people I hope it may help to answer some of your questions:

Lent is that season of our annual retreat during which we go into the desert with Jesus. It was intended to help the catechumens prepare for the sacraments of Christian initiation, and for the faithful to renew their baptismal vows through prayer, penance and almsgiving. Ash Wednesday is the Church’s “Yom Kippur’ or the ‘Day of Atonement’. It is not only the first of the forty days of Lent, but along with Good Friday, the Church prescribes it as a day of full fast. Fasting is prescribed to reinforce our penitential prayer during this season. The prophet Joel in the first reading insists that we should experience a complete conversion of heart, and not mere sorrow for our sins. Saint Paul in the second reading, advises us ‘to become reconciled to God”. Today’s gospel instructs us in the true spirit of fasting and prayer.

The blessing of the ashes: The priest, dipping his thumb into ashes (collected from burnt palms of previous Palm Sunday), marks the forehead of each with the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return." The custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a the practice observed in the early church by penitents. It is a sacramental, full of the symbolism of penance.

Significance of the day: By marking the sign of the cross with ashes on the forehead of her children, the Church gives us:

1- a firm conviction that a) we are mortal beings, b) that our bodies will become dust when buried and ashes if cremated, and c) our life span is very brief and unpredictable.

2- a strong warning that we will be eternally punished if we do not repent and do penance.

3- a loving invitation to realize and acknowledge our sinful condition and return to our loving and forgiving God with true repentance, as the prodigal son did.

The church recommends three means of conversion and renewal of life, during the period of Lent: fasting, penance and reconciliation.

I- Fast and pray (message of prayerful fasting)

a)-following the example of Jesus before his public ministry.

b)- imitating the people of Nineveh who prayed, fasting in sac cloths and ashes. (Jonah: ch.3)

c)- like the Syrian king Benhadad, who fasted and prayed before pleading mercy before Ahab, the king of Israel. (I kg.20: 31-32).

d)- like queen Esther who fasted, praying for her people (Esther 4:16).

e)-following the warning given by God. Jer. 18:11, 25:5; Ez. 18:30-31, 33:11-15; Joel 2:12; Mt. 3:2; Mt. 4:17; Acts 2:38.

(Historical note: In the past, the Greek orthodox Christians had 180 days of fasting and the orthodox as well as catholic Syrian Christians had 225 to 290 days of fasting every year. In the past, the Roman church also had a number of fast days. Technically speaking, fasting is now only required on two days in Lent” namely, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday).

Why should we fast?

a- It reduces the excessive accumulation of fat in our soul in the form of evil tendencies and evil habits.

b- It gives us additional moral and spiritual strength.

c- It offers us more time to be with God in prayer.

d- It encourages us to share our food and goods with the needy.

What is true fasting?: (Joel 2:13, Is. 58:6-7)

According to Joel, true fasting is “tearing one’s heart and returning to God” with true repentance over one’s sins. For Isaiah, it involves “breaking unjust fetters, freeing the oppressed, sharing one’s bread with the hungry, cloth with the naked and home with the homeless, and not turning away from the needy relatives”.

II- Lead a life of penance. Why? Because

1-It is the model given by Jesus.

2-It was his teaching: “If any one wishes to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”, “Try to enter through the narrow gate”.

3- Theological reasons: a) it removes the weakness left by sin in our souls, b) it compensates the temporary debt caused by sin and c) it makes our prayers more fruitful.

III- Let us enlarge our hearts for reconciliation.

By receiving the ashes, we confess that we are sinners in need of the mercy of God and we ask forgiveness for the various ways in which we have hurt our brothers and sisters. In recent years, our Catholic community has experienced acute suffering caused by the scandalous behavior of a few of our spiritual leaders. Lent is a time for forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us allow the spirit of forgiveness to work its healing influence in our parishes and families. God bless you.

Ash Wednesday reflections by the 20th century Benedictine monk Thomas Merton: In laying upon us the light cross of ashes, the Church desires to take off our shoulders all other heavy burdens - the crushing load of worry and obsessive guilt, the dead weight of our own self-love. We should not take upon ourselves a "burden" of penance and stagger into Lent as if we were Atlas carrying the whole world on his shoulders ... Penance is conceived of by the Church less as a burden than as a liberation. It is only a burden to those who take it up unwillingly. Love makes it light and happy… Lent is not so much a season of punishment as one of healing. There is joy in the salutory fasting and abstinence of Christians who eat and drink less in order that their minds may be more clear and receptive to receive the sacred nourishment of God's word, which the whole Church announces and meditates upon in each day's liturgy throughout Lent