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What is Lent?
Lent is a penitential season of the Church in preparation for the greatest feast, Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Wednesday before Holy Thursday. Lent is the call of God through the Church to engage joyful in transformation, turning away from sin and giving over our lives to Christ. Some of the spiritual “tools” are prayer (giving up living purely secular lives), fasting (giving up food in order to voluntarily experience a longing for God) and almsgiving (giving our time, talent or treasure for the sake of the poor).
In the last 40 years the Church has added a catechetical thrust to this season with the inclusion of the welcoming new members. The Rite of Christian Initiation goes back to the fourth century, when those who wished to be baptized, spent these days of Lent in preparation for their Baptism at the Easter Vigil Service.
During the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent the Scrutinies are communal prayers celebrated around the Elect (those to receive the sacraments at Easter) to overcome the power of sins, and to grow in virtue. The beauty of these ancient Scrutinies made public is that they are not just for the candidates, but for all who are present. It is a call to examine our consciences and embrace continual conversion.
When the Second Vatican Council issued its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy in 1963, the bishops called for the renewal of the season of Lent.
"The season of Lent has a twofold character: primarily by recalling or preparing for Baptism and by penance, it disposes the faithful, who more diligently hear the word of God and devote themselves to prayer, to celebrate the paschal mystery. This twofold character is to be brought into greater prominence....Hence, more use is to be made of the baptismal features proper to the Lenten liturgy....The same is to apply to the penitential elements. It is important to impress on the minds of the faithful not only the social consequences of sin but also that essence of the virtue of penance which leads to the detestation of sin as an offense against God... "(Catechism # 109).
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