Season of Lent

The season of Lent marks a profound period in the Catholic liturgical calendar dedicated to forty days of fasting, prayer, and penance. This sacred time commences on Ash Wednesday and concludes at sundown on Holy Thursday, with violet as the official liturgical colour symbolizing penance and preparation. Lent serves as a time of deep reflection and preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter, inviting us to draw nearer to the Lord through Sacred Scripture, serve generously by giving alms, and cultivate self-discipline through fasting.

During Lent, the Church calls us not merely to abstain from certain foods or habits but to undergo a genuine conversion of heart, aligning our will more closely with Christ’s. To support the faithful in fulfilling their Lenten commitments, the Church prescribes fasting and abstinence on specific days as a minimum observance:

• Fasting is required, limiting intake to one full meal a day, with the possibility of two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal, thus fostering self-control and mindfulness.
• Abstinence involves refraining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, with fish permitted, emphasizing our solidarity with the poor and our dependence on God.

The Church mandates that all Catholics 14 years and older abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. Those aged 18 to 59 are also called to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Exceptions are made for individuals for whom fasting or abstaining is inadvisable due to health, including mental health concerns, where fasting may exacerbate conditions like eating disorders. In such cases, an alternate form of penance is encouraged. Pregnant and nursing women are also exempt from fasting requirements.

Almsgiving extends the spirit of Lent beyond personal sacrifice, inviting us to share God’s gifts through the distribution of money, time, and talents, motivated by love and compassion for others.

As we embark on this Lenten journey, let us embrace this time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with a spirit of renewal and a heartfelt desire for inner transformation. May this Lent be a time of grace and spiritual growth, leading us closer to the joy of Easter.

May you have a truly blessed Lent.