Lent is the liturgical season of “preparation for the celebration of Easter. For the Lenten liturgy disposes both catechumens and the faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery: catechumens, through the several stages of Christian initiation; the faithful, through reminders of their own baptism and through penitential practices” (General Instruction of the Roman Calendar).

In 2021, Lent begins on February 17 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on April 1 (Holy Thursday), as the Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins. Easter Sunday is April 4.

What began as a shorter time of preparing catechumens for baptism at the Easter Vigil, expanded over the centuries to 40 days of penitence, excluding Sundays. Lent began on Ash Wednesday and ended when the Easter Vigil began. Today the Season of Lent is a little less than 40 days, the Church having designated the three days from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday to the Vespers (Evening Prayer) of Easter Sunday as a Sacred Triduum (3 days), celebrating the Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

While the development of the Lenten days was various throughout the Church, it may have been suggested by Christ laying in death for 40 hours, or by his 40 days of prayer and fasting in the desert (a number itself reminiscent

of Israel’s 40 years in the desert for disbelieving God). Regarding the connection to Christ’s own life, the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us,

“For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning” [Heb 4:15]. By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert. (CCC 540)

Since Lent is a time of penitence it is usual to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, both to appeal for the grace of personal conversion, and to strengthen our will to be able to cooperate with that grace. The two go together, since without God we can do nothing (John 15:5).

The best sacrifice we can make is to give up sinning. The liturgies of the first days of Lent make this point of the vanity of prayer and penitence without moral conversion. For the Catholic, daily examinations of conscience, more frequent Confession, as well as more frequent Mass and Holy Communion, to the extent possible during the pandemic, are especially good ways to prepare for Easter. It would also be good to read Sacred Scripture, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Holy Rosary, daily if possible, mediating on the texts or prayers.

It is also usual to make some material sacrifice, one that calls for will-power and self-denial, whether television or social media, foods or treats we particularly like, recreations and other pleasures that we crave in excess, and which keep us from prayer and good works. The extra time can then be spent to pray and to serve, whether to volunteer at one’s parish, or a local charity, such as a ministry to the poor or a crisis pregnancy clinic.

St. Catherine of Genoa said, “Lenten fasts make me feel better, stronger, and more active than ever.” Lent should help us to be more active, in Charity — in love of God, and our neighbor. That is the best preparation for the celebration of the greatest act of Love in history.

While Lent is not mentioned, per se, Jesus’ 40 days of preparation in the Judean desert for His public ministry gives the Church a strong biblical basis for her Lenten practices. Our Lord fasted and prayed during those weeks, as well as faced, and overcame, the temptations of the Evil One. We are called during Lent to imitate His resolve.

Mother Angelica put it this way,

“When you do penance for Lent, you imitate Jesus, and secondly you strengthen your will so when something sinful comes your way, you can say no. See, there’s a two-fold advantage to doing penance. Real penance, not giving up candy for goodness sakes. . . . If you gave something up that costs you, not money, but something in here, then by the end of Lent you’re stronger. Your will is stronger to say no to more important things.”

Mother Angelica Live, March 7, 2000

Since repentance is necessary for salvation, so are the acts which manifest repentance (Luke 13:1-9; Acts 26:28). Throughout the year, the Church calls the faithful to do penance, therefore, establishing norms of fast and abstinence to aid us.

Every Friday is a day of penitence, an acknowledgement of our sins and of the price of our salvation. It is a little Good Friday preparing us each week for Sundays, a little Easter. Unless it is a Solemnity (e.g. the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Friday, March 19, 2021), Latin Rite Catholics are to abstain from meat. 

To the Friday Abstinence is added the following provisions:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Our Lord explains three special ways to orient our hearts to God, and these principles are especially helpful as we journey through Lent. Traditionally called the three pillars of Lent, they include almsgiving (cf. Matthew 6:1-4), prayer (cf. Matthew 6:5-15), and fasting (cf. Matthew 6:16-18).

During Lent, the faithful cannot eat meat on Fridays (excluding solemnities).

“The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent” (Code of Canon Law 1250).

However, the faithful may undertake another form of penance on non-Lenten Fridays.

Moral guilt is determined by our intention and circumstances. Why do we not do penance? Why do we not observe the norms of the Church? There can be excusing circumstances — particular situations where obligations of charity (not offending a host), the lack of other foods, sickness, or having to do physical labor) excuse us from the obligation. On the other hand, we can also have a bad intention, such as a disregard for Christ’s command to do penance (Luke 3:9), or for the authority of the Church (Mt. 16:19, 18:18). These would be matters to bring to the confessional.

Courtesy of EWTN