The Prayer and Fasting of Lent

In just a few days, we will enter into the Liturgical Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It calls us to reflect on the blessings God has given us and how we should journey to be more united with Him. Below are two perspectives on how to encounter God during Lent: one from Pope Francis and another from Pope Benedict XVI.

"The first element [in the Lenten journey] is prayer. Prayer is the strength of the Christian and of every believing person. In the weakness and fragility of our life, we can turn to God with the confidence of children and enter into communion with Him. In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and that could harden the heart, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of God’s boundless love, to enjoy its tenderness. Lent is a time of prayer, a more intense, more diligent prayer, more able to take care of the needs of the brethren, [and] to intercede before God for the many situations of poverty and suffering.” —Pope Francis, 2014

“Lent stimulates us to let the word of God penetrate our life and, in this way, to know the fundamental truths of who we are, where we come from, where we must go, and what path we must take in life. Thus, the Lenten season offers us an ascetic and liturgical journey that, helping us to open our eyes in the face of our weaknesses, makes us open our hearts to the merciful love of Christ.” —Pope Benedict XVI, 2010

As we at OLMC journey through Lent, there will be some changes in the liturgy and the space to help us recognize the penitential and sacrificial character of this season and appreciate their beauty and significance even more, when they return at Easter.

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, there will be no recessional hymn at the conclusion of the Mass, and as a congregation, we will depart the church in silence. The Gloria and Alleluia are omitted from the Mass. Finally, the candles used on the altar will be made of unbleached beeswax, which have a warm, amber-like color. The unadulterated, natural wax represents Christ’s purity and holiness, untouched by human interference, reflecting His divine nature. As they retain their natural state, it emphasizes themes of simplicity, humility, and authenticity in worship. The subdued color reflects a somber and solemn tone, emphasizing grief, sacrifice, and the transient nature of earthly life.

Starting on the 5th Sunday of Lent, the church enters the minor season within Lent called Passiontide, which ends on Holy Saturday. During this time, the crosses and statues in the church will be veiled, symbolizing the growing solemnity leading to Christ’s Passion. The veiling is often linked to John 8:59, where Jesus "hid himself and went out of the temple" when the Jews attempted to stone Him. This act of hiding foreshadows His Passion and death. The veiling builds anticipation for Easter. The unveiled cross on Good Friday (during the Veneration of the Cross) and the return of all images at the Easter Vigil symbolize the transition from sorrow to the joy of the Resurrection.