Lent

Mt 4:1-11

Each year the Church offers us the various liturgical seasons, which begin on the 1st Sunday of Advent and end on the Sunday of Christ the King.

We have 5 liturgical seasons represented by different colors: 

• The season of Advent: the color violet

• The season of Christmas: the color white

• Ordinary Time: the color green

• The season of Lent: the color violet

• The Easter season: the color white

Lent comes from the word Quadragesima, which means fortieth; it represents the 40 days before Easter.

The number 40 has great value in the Bible; we have, for example, the 40 years of the Jewish people’s exile, the 40 days of Jesus’ fasting in the desert….

People live the season of Lent as an ordinary time and make no effort to live it well. Lent was always a difficult time for me, with the resolutions I would make but not keep. I would fast without, however, understanding the meaning of fasting, and giving to others was not my strong point. At the Ash Wednesday Mass in my parish in Cameroon, people came in just to receive the ashes.

Are we truly aware of the commitment to Christ that we make in receiving these ashes? Do we meditate on the words the priest speaks during this ceremony: “repent and believe in the Gospel”?

Christians take the season of Lent as a time of routine.

Through much prayer, the season of Lent has become the time I love most. My resolutions are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

The season of Lent helps me greatly to draw closer to the Lord. It prepares us for the death and resurrection of Christ. If Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain.

The season of Lent is like 40 days, or 9 months of pregnancy, in order to be born again.

The Lord draws our heart to speak to us in the desert during this season of Lent.

Lent helps us to accept our crosses without sulking, like the Lord. We are called to see the hand of God in our sufferings.

We must meditate on the words “repent and believe in the Gospel” every day.

A Lent well lived leads us to a deep joy. We must review our relationship with Jesus, and we can also make resolutions to:

• Fast from evil words

• Be charitable with prayer intentions

• Redouble our prayer

• Help our brothers and sisters to know God and to draw closer to him

• Pray the chaplet and the rosary

• Live out and pray for the resolutions made

• Make the Stations of the Cross with fervor

• Keep our appointed hours of prayer

• Pray for the souls in purgatory

• Give alms

• Go to Mass

• Make ourselves small and let the One who must grow, grow within us.

We must ask the Lord to be a blessing for others.

My wish is to grow in my love for God and to be perfect. What do you expect from Lent? What graces would you like to receive?

Let us ask God for the grace to love him and to trust him, the grace to carry our crosses.

Christelle Yonga