Three Questions About Lent

We will soon be approaching the third week of Lent. So, this is a good time to ask ourselves how are we doing. Some of what I will discuss would have been better suited for the beginning of Lent. However, if you are on-course with your Lenten intentions, then by all means continue. On the other hand, if your intentions need a shot-in-the-arm, then you may want to modify or renew your objectives. However, in either case, refreshing our understanding can strengthen our devotion now and in the coming years.

So, let's begin by asking ourselves three important questions:

1. First: How did we get here?
2. Second: What are the requirements of Lent?
3. And third: How can we discern a proper Lenten Penance?

First, how did we get here?

1. St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Gregory the Great, have all called this to our attention: that one of our Lord's First Commandments was one of abstinence. He told our ancestral parents not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Life. In failing to follow Our Lord's command, Adam and Eve brought every kind of evil upon themselves and upon all mankind. And, from that time forward, fasting was viewed as an expiation for our sins, an act of purification, a protection against sin, and as a means to avoid sin. And, it was prescribed as a prerequisite for participating in sacred feasts.
2. Though scholars disagree on the origins and scheduling of the Lenten Season, the Early Church Fathers assure us that Lent was instituted by the Apostles, and drew on tradition and practices observed by our Jewish ancestors in the faith.
3. The word 'Lent' denotes “the season of spring” and also the number 'forty', or more specifically 'forty days'. And, its spiritual significance has a rich tradition.
   1. For example, in the time of Noah, God caused it to rain for 40 days and 40 nights. A period of forty days and forty nights symbolizes a time of trouble and hardship. It indicates a time of testing and judgment. In Sacred Scripture, Moses was on Mount Sinai with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, fasting without food or water, in preparation to receive the Ten Commandments. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of the Lord. And the most significant of these was that Jesus fasted and was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights.
   2. Lent, also, has strong parallels to the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. During Yom Kippur faithful Jews participate in a time of fasting and penance for the forgiveness of sins. The Day of Atonement is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and is similar to what we celebrate on Divine Mercy Sunday. In ancient times, on the Day of Atonement, one goat was offered as a sacrifice, and another, the 'scape goat', was released into the desert to carry away the sins of the people. It was the only day of the year when sins could be forgiven.
4. In the early days of the Church, the observance of Lent varied: from 40 hours in the first century, which was the time between Christ's Death on the Cross and His Resurrection, to 40 days over an eight week period. It was not until the Council of Nicea in 325 AD that Lent was standardized as a six week period of fasting, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending at dusk on Holy Thursday.
5. In the Gospel of Matthew we read, “Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them … The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away … and then they will fast.”
6. In this reading the Church recognizes that we should not fast on Sundays or Solemnities during Lent. All Sundays are the Feasts of the Lord, and two solemnities usually occur during Lent, The Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19, and the Annunciation on March 25.

And second, what are the requirements of Lent?

1. Over the years the Church has relaxed many of the requirements of Lent to suit a variety of circumstances; particularly for the ill, the aged, those in third world countries, and those employed in strenuous occupations. Thus, the obligations specified by the Church are the bare minimum requirements, and Catholics are encouraged to exceed these requirements according to their ability and circumstances.
2. One question that is often asked is: 'Is confession required during Lent?'
   1. In Sacred Scripture, after constructing the Meeting Tent, Our Lord directs Moses to anoint Aaron and his sons as priests. In the Book of Exodus, Our Lord says, “When they are about to enter the meeting tent, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar in their ministry, to offer an oblation to the LORD, they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and his descendants throughout their generations.”
   2. Similar instructions are given in Sacred Scripture for other feasts and they apply, not only to priests, but to the laity as well. This practice is even enshrined in the Holy Mass. Before consecrating our sacrifice, the priest washes his hands. Ritual washing is a reminder of our Baptism. It is a sign and symbol of the forgiveness and purification needed to approach God.
   3. The Church does not specifically state that we must confess our sins during Lent. It does require us to confess our sins at least once a year and to receive Holy Communion at least once a year, preferably on Easter Sunday. Again, these are bare minimum requirements. However, in order to receive Communion we must be in a state of grace, thus Confession during Lent, while not specifically required by law, is implied.
   4. Added to this is the requirement to attend Mass on Sundays, and it is expected that we will receive communion. And to receive communion we must be in a state of grace, thus frequent confession, though not require by law, is considered the norm.
3. A second question is: 'What are the fasting requirements?'
   1. Originally, fasting was practiced throughout Lent. Having only bread and water throughout the 40 days was not uncommon. But, obviously that is not a possibility for many. The current recommendations for fasting are to eat one regular meal a day, and two lighter meals which together are a lesser quantity than the main meal, and this is done without consuming any additional food or snacks during the day.
   2. The minimum requirement is to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We are required to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent and throughout the year. If fasting or abstaining from meat is not possible, we are required to make another type of sacrifice in memory of Our Lord's Death on the Cross.
   3. Those younger than 18 years of age, or older than 59 years of age, are not required to fast, though they are encouraged to do so, if able. And if not, some other form of penance is recommended.
   4. Abstinence is required for all those 14 years old and older, if possible.
   5. Those who are physically, or mentally, ill, including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes are excluded from fasting. This also includes pregnant or nursing women. In all cases, common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not jeopardize their health by fasting.

And finally, how can we discern a proper Lenten penance?

1. Fasting, abstinence, and penance are examples of a subtractive process. They are examples of the mortification aspects of Lent. They focus on overcoming temptation through discipline and the denial our appetites.
2. Equally important are additive processes. These are the fortifications aspects of Lent: increased prayer and alms giving, growing in virtue and holiness, and overcoming our sinful tendencies through a reformed vision and holiness.
3. Thus, our Lenten penance should include additive and subtractive elements. The two go hand-in-hand. Our objective is to emerge from Lent on Easter Sunday as a better person, and a better Christian: victorious over temptation, forgiven - free from sin, stronger in prayer and faith, and revitalized - energetic and capable of working diligently in Our Lord's Vineyard.
4. And so, in determining a meaningful and proper Lenten penance for you, you may want to consider the following.
5. First, choose a penance that is achievable but not trivial. We want our Lenten journey to be successful. Giving up chocolate may be trivial for some, but difficult for others. Fasting on bread and water may be possible for some, but impossible for others. So, choose a penance that is achievable, but also one that requires continual thought and effort.
6. Second, select what needs to be added to your spiritual life. Meditate on the kind of person you want to become. Read, pray, and meditate on the life of Jesus and pray for the desire to be more like Him. Jesus said, “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart”.
7. Third, consider the attitudes and behaviors that you need to remove from your life. Reflect on your confessions, and meditate on how you can live a holier life. What sins do you habitually confess? What are the root causes of arguments with your spouse or others? What are the occasions of sin you need to avoid? Under what circumstances are you least like Christ?
8. Aristotle once said: “Every sin comes about because of the lack of a corresponding virtue.” Greed comes about because of a lack of charity. Pride surfaces because of a lack of humility. Envy arises where there is a lack of gratitude. And, lust occurs because of a lack of chastity.
9. Cicero once said, “Gratitude is the mother of all virtues.” Therefore, gratitude must be a essential element in our penance and the foundation of our Christian life. The value of developing a heart of gratitude cannot be overemphasized. It opens the pathway to holiness.
10. So, in putting all this together, reflect on where you need mortification and where you need fortification. Living fully in Christ requires both: putting to death undesirable aspects of our lives, and developing pathways to holiness. In Lent, as in our entire Christian life, we need to sharpen all the tools at our disposal.
11. Once you have discerned your Lenten goals, what remains is to determine how you can be most successful. As was said earlier, first pick an simple and achievable penance. Success in a simple penance will foster success in more difficult matters.
12. Then, go to work on where you most need improvement. In this you will find that working to develop virtues is easier than trying to monitor and restrict undesirable behavior. I'm not diminishing the value of discipline. Discipline is also a virtue. But pursuing positive goals, even developing discipline, is easier psychologically, and therefore more achievable.
13. Perhaps an example will help us understand the difference. Suppose, for example, that you decide to give up chocolate for Lent. And as you progress through Lent you are constantly reminding yourself not to eat chocolate. So, what's on your mind: chocolate. Now, instead, suppose you decide to eat healthy foods for Lent. Then, what on your mind – eating things are good for you, and you give up chocolate without actually thinking about it.
14. It's like trying not to think of a pink elephant. The more you try; the more the elephant is actually in your mind. Whereas, if you think about developing the virtues you need, then those virtues are on your mind, and you will see every difficulty, not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity. Then, when mortification and fortification are used together, with a heart filled with gratitude, you can overcome the root causes of your spiritual struggles.

In Summary

The objective, is not to just persevere through Lent, but to journey through Lent, and beyond Lent, into the Glory of Easter, disciplined in determination, awakened in gratitude, and fortified in virtue. Then we can truly be a people resurrected into a new life in Christ, and ready to face the evils of the world armed with faith and grace.