Lent is a particular season lasting for 40 days, from Ash Wednesday to sundown on Maundy Thursday, in preparation for Easter's celebration. It is a period when we, Christians, are called to open our hearts wider to the grace of God and to follow Jesus Christ more faithfully, aware of his presence in our daily activities. Hence, the spirit of Lent is not lived out solely in the liturgical celebrations but also in our families, at school, at work, etc. Living the spirit of lent entails focusing on Jesus, journeying with him until Jerusalem, whereby he will endure passion and will die on the cross, but will resurrect and bring us to new life. Lent leads to Easter, and is understood under the perspective of Easter. With the focus on Jesus' passion in Lenten season, we come to a better understanding of God's unconditional love, which impels us in turn to love God and our neighbor. The season of Lent also makes us contemplate the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and reminds us of the need to follow him in carrying our daily cross.[1] In the forty days, we revive Christ's withdrawal in the wilderness, led by the Holy Spirit. In the wilderness, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights and was tested by the devil but was victorious (Mt 4: 1-11).
In Christian tradition, Lent is a particular time of conversion and penance. Penance does not aim first at outward works, fasting, and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. However, internal conversion finds expression in visible signs, gestures, and works of penance (CCC 1430). Interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and tradition insist above all on the three forms: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others (CCC 1434). We will reflect on each of these elements. Let us remind that in his letter for the 2021 Lent, Pope Francis sees Lent as a time of renewing Faith, Hope, and Charity. He asserts that “The path of poverty and self-denial (fasting), concern and loving care for the poor (almsgiving), and childlike dialogue with the Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere faith, living hope, and effective charity”.[2]
Lenten fasting must always have spiritual motivations. It is a sign of penance. In fact, it is not a slimming exercise, or a simple bodily austerity, or a way to save money for one's personal needs. The first reading of the first Friday of this Lent gives us a picture of Christian fasting.
Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you have done today to make your voice heard on high! Is it a fast like this that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it for bowing [b]one’s head like a reed? And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the ropes of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to break your bread [c]with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will spring up quickly, and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ (Isaiah 58: 4-9a).
From this passage, we understand that fasting is not merely for the sake of an individual's spiritual development; rather, it involves others. It is an expression of love in following Jesus Christ, who made himself poor to enrich us. Fasting reminds us that “People do not live on bread alone” (Mt 4:4), but we all need God's grace bestowed on us in Jesus Christ. Fasting makes us realize that God is the source of life. In his message for this Lent (2021), Pope Francis asserts that “fasting, experienced as a form of self-denial, helps those who undertake it in the simplicity of heart to rediscover God's gift and to recognize that, created in his image and likeness, we find our fulfillment in him." He adds that "in embracing the experience of poverty, those who fast make themselves poor with the poor and accumulate the treasure of a love both received and shared”[3]. Hence, fasting enables us to feel more compassion for the millions who fast daily of necessity, and sharing their hunger, we solidarize with them and get ready to help them.[4]
There is also fasting from wrongdoing, which is very important, fasting of mind, fasting from walking along those dark inner paths of self-pity, blaming others, relishing others' failure, nurturing grievance, fasting from arrogance.[5]
Prayer is a dialogue with God. It entails not only talking to God but also listening to his voice. Prayer enables us to enter deeper into our hearts and rediscover the love of God, who gives us his beloved Son for our salvation (see Jn 3:16). During Lenten season, we are encouraged to pray more. Prayer helps us focus on Jesus' unconditional love, which finds the ultimate expression on the cross. Attending the Holy Eucharist, which is the greatest prayer, is highly advised for this great season. Besides this, Christians are called to receive the sacrament of penance, to read and meditate the word of God, from which we find life. Prayer goes together with fasting and almsgiving.
During Lent, we are urged to give special attention to "almsgiving' which means donating money or other goods to those who need. We are also urged to perform other acts of charity. "Giving alms to the poor is a witness to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God."[6]. It is an act of mercy rising from a heart moved by love and compassion for our brothers and sisters who suffer and who are in dire need of our help. As of the way we have to practice almsgiving, Jesus says:
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you; they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Mt 6:1-4).
Overall, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are the three pillars of Lent that remain interconnected. They are signs of internal conversion and expression of our desire to follow Christ, who "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:8). To have them effective, we need God's grace. May God accompany us with His grace and make us focus on his love that he showed us in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and savior.
[1] GUZMAN M., Guide to Christian Sanctification. A Concise and Systematic explanation of the Sacraments and Prayer. Revised edition (Mandaluyong City, Don Bosco Press, 1999), 37
[2] POPE FRANCIS, Behold, we are Going up to Jerusalem. Message for Lent 2021.
[3] Idem.
[4] GERARD W. HUGUES, Oh God, Why? A journey through Lent for bruised pilgrims. (Oxford, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 1993), 25
[5] Idem, 26.
[6] CCC 2462
