Lent
LENT is the period before the Christian holy day of Easter. It covers the forty days before Easter, not including Sundays. These forty days in Lent are traditionally marked by fasting and by other acts of penance. Nowadays some people give up something they enjoy doing a lot, and often give the time or money spent doing that thing to charitable purposes or organizations. Lent is a season of sorrowful reflection that is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays. The color for Lent is purple.
 |
 |
The message of Ash Wednesday is: "Remember, Man!" If conversion is a necessity, work on it now! Don't wait until tomorrow, because you are dust and to dust you will return. Constant penance, aversion from evil, and conversion to God is a Christian imperative. "Works" of penance are useful, but only as "means to the end" - it is your inner conversion to love of God and neighbor. The ashes on your forehead have only as much meaning as you are giving them. Make this symbolism a meaningful beginning of a time of penance, preparing to celebrate the paschal mystery of our Lord's death and resurrection.
FASTING and ABSTINENCE. For everyone between the ages of 18 and 60, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of "Fasting," (one full meal and two smaller meals for people who must eat more than once a day.) Abstinence from eating meat is for everyone 14 years and older. Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday in Lent. This Sunday we celebrate Christ's entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. The triumphal entry, celebrated at the beginning of Passion Week, emphasizes that the three elements: suffering, death, and resurrection, belong together. Jesus' death was not a defeat. It was a victory. The color for Palm Sunday is Red.
HOLY THURSDAY, the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper. The Eucharist, given to us "the night before he was betrayed," symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus. The washing of the apostles' feet reminds us of the love Jesus showed us to the end. "As I have done....you should also do." After the final and solemn services, the death of the Lord is observed; all bells and organ music cease. The Blessed Sacrament is removed from the main altar, the tabernacle left open, empty and the altar stripped of all the externals reminding one of the real presence. After this Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is removed to a special side altar provided with a repository. The Blessed Sacrament is removed for the communion service on Good Friday.
GOOD FRIDAY is the celebration of the Lord's Passion. On this day, no Mass is said. In spirit, the faithful are taken back to the first Mass on Calvary. The main liturgical service is the unveiling and the solemn veneration of the cross. The celebrant and assistants solemnly venerate it first. Then the faithful come to "kiss the cross." This is followed by a communion service.
HOLY SATURDAY, the Vigil of the Resurrection, is held. The Church in her liturgy attempts to follow the time of the day as well as the events that preceded the Resurrection. Services start in the evening, ending in time for Mass at midnight. The significant thing about the services, especially for converts and prospective converts, is that the service centers around baptism, since in the early Church catechumens were baptized at this service. The entire service proceeds in spirit from darkness to light. It begins with the blessing of the new fire (the church is in complete darkness) and the Easter candle, symbols of Christ's Resurrection, and the chanting of prophecies, originally intended for the instruction of catechumens in preparation for baptism. This is followed by the blessing of baptismal water to be used during the year. At the conclusion of the Vigil services, the Mass of the Resurrection is celebrated.