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Diocese of New Ulm - February 2000 by Michael Summerfield
From the earliest days of Christianity, traditions have arisen for observing Lent. Most of us who are of the baby boom generation or older can remember rigorous fasting, prayer, and alms giving. Wednesday on March 8 will mark the beginning of the Lenten fast, but the forty days are counted from the First Sunday of Lent until Holy Thursday.
The original meaning of Lent as the Church’s "Holy Spring" has been restored in recent years. The key theme of the season is baptism. On Ash Wednesday we are marked with the cross of Christ, "a kind of baptismal branding." Since the beginning of the fourth century Lent has been a time for the faithful to prepare for the celebration of Easter.
On Ash Wednesday parishioners will gather in large numbers to receive ashes as a public sign of their willingness to return to the Lord. Ash Wednesday draws larger crowds than many holy days of obligation because its medieval rituals speak powerfully to human needs.
Lent’s baptismal theme was restored with the promulgation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in 1974. On the first Sunday of Lent our catechumens (those preparing to become Catholic) become "the Elect" who will begin their final preparations for baptism and confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Their witness, their fasting and prayer should inspire us to seek renewal of our own faith life. We pray for our own conversion when the catechumen is prayed over during the initiation rituals.
The sacrament of reconciliation is also closely tied to Lent. Anyone who has turned away from the Christian life needs to be reconciled with our God and our faith community. From ancient times, it has been viewed as a "second baptism." Whether we choose a communal penance service or individual reconciliation, we find a welcome chance to seek forgiveness and a new beginning.
Our Lenten planning provides opportunities for special devotions and faith formation which will prepare us to celebrate the entire Paschal season, forty days of Lent and fifty days of Easter, with new enthusiasm.
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