Lent: A journey to Easter
When we leave on a journey we must know where we are going. So with Lent. Above all, Lent is a spiritual journey and its destination is Easter.
When we leave on a journey we must know where we are going. So with Lent. Above all, Lent is a spiritual journey and its destination is Easter.
If Lent has become routine or hollow for you, consider these ten forms of penance from the tradition and what they might look like for you today.
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The season of Lent is a time for reflection on the gospels, renewal and conversion of mind and heart to a gracious God who desires to come close to us. This God, as shown to us by Jesus, is full of compassion and tenderness, slow to anger and rich in mercy.
The season of Lent extends from Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening, when the Easter Triduum begins. During this period neither the Gloria nor the Alleluia are sung, and a different Collect (Opening Prayer) is provided for every day, to emphasise the importance of these weeks.
For Catholics, Easter is preceded by a time of preparation called Lent which seeks to renew our minds and hearts that we might, with joy, celebrate the central feast of our faith, the resurrection of Christ.
Lent is one of my favourite seasons of the liturgical year. As a family with young children, we use the Lenten season to become mindful of daily roadblocks that get in the way of being close to each other and close to God.
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