Repent Today - Don't Wait Until It's Too Late!
(Joel 2:12-18; Ps 51:1-4, 10-13; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18)
Lent is a significant and sacred season in the Christian calendar, observed by millions of believers worldwide. It typically spans 40 days, excluding Sundays, leading up to Easter Sunday. This period offers a profound opportunity for reflection, spiritual renewal, and personal growth.
During Lent, Christians embark on a journey of reconciliation with God, taking time to examine their lives honestly and repent of their sins. This introspective practice often includes heartfelt confession, in which individuals acknowledge their shortcomings and seek divine forgiveness. It is a moment for believers to confront their inner struggles and reaffirm their commitment to their faith.
The Lenten season is characterised by acts of penance, intended to foster a deeper spiritual connection. These acts may include specific devotional practices such as intensified prayer, in which individuals dedicate more time to communicating with God and contemplating their spiritual path. Fasting is another critical component of Lent, in which adherents often give up certain luxuries or refrain from certain foods to develop self-discipline and empathy for those who are less fortunate.
Alms-giving, the act of donating to those in need, is also a vital practice during this period. Believers are encouraged to contribute their time, resources, or finances to support charitable causes, reflecting the values of compassion and generosity. These actions are undertaken with sincere humility, allowing individuals to deepen their faith and cultivate a spirit of love and kindness.
Lent is a transformative season for Christians as they prepare their hearts and minds for the joyous celebration of Easter. This sacred journey not only strengthens their bond with God but also cultivates a sense of community and service to others, aligning their lives more closely with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.
The forty days of Lent begin on the Sunday after Ash Wednesday. The fortieth and final day of Lent (counting as the ancients counted, without a zero place value, and with the first Sunday of Lent counting as day #1) will be Holy Thursday. On Ash Wednesday, we begin our commitment to the sacred Lenten journey as we prepare our hearts and souls for the celebration of Easter. This moment marks the start of a reflective and transformative period, during which the days between Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday of Lent are a crucial time for us to formulate a sincere plan for our spiritual practice during Lent.
We begin this solemn journey on Ash Wednesday by embracing the profound reality of our mortality, recalling that our earthly existence is finite, as encapsulated in the phrase “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” This reminder urges us to reflect on our lives and prepare our souls for our eventual encounter with God, where we will face Divine Judgment. It is a call to examine our lives and our relationship with God, urging us to seek reconciliation and readiness before our time comes.
The period from Ash Wednesday to the First Sunday of Lent is a sacred time for reflection and preparation. In these early days, our Scripture readings guide us to focus on the three foundational spiritual disciplines of Lent: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Each of these practices invites us to deepen our faith and cultivate a spirit of generosity, devotion, and self-discipline.
The Church officially designates Ash Wednesday as a day of fasting, which entails abstaining from food either completely or partially. This act is not merely a physical challenge but a profound expression of mourning for our sins and a significant act of penance. In the Old Testament, the prophets emphasised that the true spirit of fasting should stem from a genuine desire for repentance and atonement, encouraging us to approach fasting not merely as an obligation but as an outward manifestation of inner contrition (see Isaiah 58:1-6; Jeremiah 14:12; Zechariah 7:5).
In the New Testament, fasting is presented as a valuable practice for the spiritual growth of Christians. Various passages illustrate this, showing how fasting was integral to the lives of early believers (Acts 13:2, 14:22-23; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27). Furthermore, the Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights its importance in nurturing a deeper relationship with God (CCC 1434, 2043). As we embark on this Lenten journey, let us remember the dual focus of our fasting: acknowledging our shortcomings while striving for spiritual growth. By sincerely engaging in these disciplines, we open our hearts to renewal and transformation in preparation for the joyous celebration of Easter.
Ash Wednesday is not officially recognised as a Holy Day of Obligation within the Catholic Church, primarily because the observance emerged several centuries after the Lenten season was formally established at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Around the 11th century, various Christian denominations in the western part of the Church began adopting the practice of preparing for Lent, a tradition that eventually spread and became part of the Church's universal customs.
The only Holy Days of Obligation during the Lenten season fall on the First Sunday of Lent and every Sunday that follows, emphasising that Sundays are indeed included in the overall forty-day count. This inclusion is consistent with the guidelines set forth by the Council of Nicaea. Additionally, it's important to note that the Church’s liturgical seasons do not merely pause and restart; rather, they flow continuously. This reflects Jesus’ forty-day period of testing in the wilderness, an event that inspired the observance of Lent. During this time, even the Old Covenant Sabbaths were counted, reinforcing the significance of each day of the Lenten journey.
The First Reading on Ash Wednesday typically features a passage from the prophetic poetry of Joel. This poem vividly portrays how God reveals His divine presence among His people and His deep desire for their heartfelt return. It culminates in a powerful exhortation urging the faithful to “return to me with your whole heart,” a call to genuine repentance.
This passage is a poignant reminder of the importance of not postponing our confession of sins. Delaying this crucial step can lead to missed opportunities for spiritual renewal. The text emphasises the necessity of sincere sorrow for one's sins, coupled with a committed decision to turn back to God, which ultimately restores our fellowship with Him.
Central to Joel’s admonition is the notion that genuine conversion and lasting spiritual renewal spring from authentic repentance. External displays of piety, devoid of true meaning or spiritual depth, carry little weight. What God truly desires is inward mourning and profound sorrow for wrongdoing—this authentic expression of penance resonates with Him and elicits His compassionate response. In essence, God seeks our heartfelt engagement in returning to Him, where true transformation begins.
In the Responsorial Psalm, the congregation echoes the heartfelt plea: “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.” This repetition not only underscores the communal acknowledgement of sinfulness but also reflects the deep emotional burden the psalmist bears. With a heavy heart, he cries out to God, seeking His mercy and forgiveness. The psalmist’s sincerity is evident in his genuine remorse for his actions, as he takes full responsibility for his transgressions, recognising them as offences against God’s holiness. This act of acknowledgement is vital; true repentance cannot exist without a willingness to own up to one’s wrongdoings.
Moreover, the psalmist’s plea for mercy goes beyond mere confession. He earnestly implores God to renew his inner self, bringing about a transformation that would restore his relationship with the Lord. This renewal is essential for him to experience the profound blessing of God’s Spirit dwelling within him, guiding and uplifting him.
In the Second Reading, St. Paul reinforces the themes of the First Reading, urgently reminding the faithful to convert and return to God without hesitation. He emphasises that Christians are not merely passive recipients of God’s grace but active emissaries tasked with proclaiming the call to conversion to the wider world in Christ Jesus. St. Paul emphasises the urgency of the moment by stating that the “acceptable time” for receiving the abundant grace of salvation through Christ is indeed “now”.
He points out that the opportunity for conversion and salvation lasts only until the individual faces physical death or until Christ returns in glory at the close of the age. Until that pivotal moment arrives, St. Paul affirms that each day is a precious “day of salvation.” Therefore, it is imperative not to squander the chance for repentance and a return to God’s embrace. St. Peter's testimony is a strong reminder that salvation is available only through Jesus Christ. As he boldly affirms, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). This profound urgency compels every believer to seek reconciliation and transformation in their relationship with God.
In our Gospel Reading, Jesus imparts profound teachings on the three foundational disciplines of Christian life: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Notably, He does not say “if you fast”; rather, He says “when you fast”, as recorded in Matthew 6:2, 5, and 16. This language emphasises the expectation that these practices are integral to our faith as followers of Christ. Each of these disciplines traces back to the Old Testament, where they were established as vital means of obtaining forgiveness and making amends for sins (see Sirach 3:30-31, Tobit 12:8-9, James 5:20, 1 Peter 4:8, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1434).
Jesus commands us to engage in these acts to enrich our spiritual lives and deepen our faith and commitment. The true aim of practising almsgiving, prayer, and fasting is to cultivate holiness and guide us along our spiritual journey towards the ultimate goal: eternal salvation in the heavenly Kingdom.
During this sacred season of Lent, which spans forty days, God invites us to embark on a transformative journey towards holiness. This journey calls us to renew our commitment to living in accordance with the New Covenant, centred on loving God and extending that love to our brothers and sisters within the human family. We must remain mindful of Jesus’ admonition in the Sermon on the Mount, which underscores the importance of our actions; “Therefore, we aspire to please Him, whether we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil” (Matthew 5:9-10).
Moreover, in our Gospel reading, Jesus urges us to express our love for God by actively showing compassion to those in need through acts of almsgiving. The inspired writer of Sirach reassures us of the rewards of our generosity: “Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms stone for sins” (Sirach 3:30). Through charitable giving and the discipline of fasting, combined with heartfelt prayer, we master our material desires and prioritise spiritual gifts. Our Lenten journey should bring about transformation within us; our aspiration is to emerge as spiritually enlivened Christians by the conclusion of this forty-day pilgrimage towards holiness.
While Lent is a poignant reminder of the transient nature of our earthly lives, it should not be seen as a period of sorrow. Instead, it offers an opportunity to reflect on the joyful destiny for which God has created us. This sentiment is echoed by Jesus, who instructs, “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you” (Matthew 6:17-18). We should embrace the joy of knowing that the fast of our Lenten journey will ultimately culminate in the exuberant Banquet of the Just, where we will celebrate the Wedding Supper of the Lamb and His Bride in the celestial Jerusalem, surrounded by saints and angels. In this knowledge, may we find hope and strength as we navigate our path towards holiness during this sacred season.
Dr Nicholas Macedon, OCD, Director
Jeeva Jyothi Carmelite Institute of Spirituality (JJCIS),
Old Gandarvakottai,
Pudukottai - 613301.
Tamil Nadu, India
What's app - +91 - 9698453101
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