The penitential season of Lent is the period of forty week-days beginning on Ash Wednesday. It is a season of the Church year that commemorates the forty days Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness before He began His public ministry of preaching for repentance. Six Sundays are within the season; the last, Passion Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week. Holy Thursday begins the Triduum (three days) before Easter day, which includes Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
The Church has devoted a period of time to prayer and fasting as a preparation for the liturgical commemoration of the Passion of Christ and the celebrations of the feast of the Resurrection, Easter Day, since very early times. In 604 Pope Gregory I defined Lent as “The spiritual tithing of the year”, a time of solemn spiritual and physical preparation for our own acceptance of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. (Ordinary tithing meant to give a tenth part a tithe of one’s goods to God. Lent’s forty days represents about a tenth of the year.)
The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “lencten”, referring to the lengthening of days in the Spring. Lent, of course, is an English word. In Latin, still the official language of the the Catholic Church, the entire season is known as Quadrigesima, or “forty”.
The season of Lent calls Christians to imitate the forty days of prayer and fasting of Jesus. The period of forty days is significant. When God punished the sinfulness of mankind by the Flood, the rain lasted forty days and forty nights. Moses led the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt, but they wandered forty years in the desert before reaching the promised land. Elijah fasted and sought God’s will on Mount Horeb for forty days. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh in forty days.
The Code of Canon Law states that Fridays throughout the year and in the time of Lent are penitential days for the entire Church. Although fasting usually refers to any practice of restricting food, there is a distinction, in the Church, between fast (limiting food to one full meal a day, with two smaller meals allowed) and abstinence (abstaining from eating meat.) Abstinence from meat on Fridays as the universal form of penance on all Fridays is no longer mandatory. We may choose another way of observing the Church’s requirement for acts of penance on Fridays, but we are not to neglect it, either.
Since the change in the abstinence rules, some people have become confused about the requirement to observe penitential days. As a result, the discipline of fasting (or abstaining from meat) or any form of regular penance has all but disappeared. Confession, or the Sacrament of Penance (or Reconciliation) has sharply declined, as well.
Both fast and abstinence are required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. For the record, rules of the Church in the United States about fasting and abstinence in effect since 1966 state that:
“Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from the eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Self-imposed observance of fasting on all weekdays of Lent is strongly recommended. Abstinence from flesh meat on all Fridays of the year [excluding solemnities like Christmas which may fall on Friday] is especially recommended to individuals and to the Catholic community as a whole.” (ref. Canons 1249-1253, Code of Canon Law)
(See also Fast and Abstinence page for more information on the practice.)
Fasting and abstinence, which foster self-discipline and self-denial and other beneficial spiritual exercises, are strongly encouraged as voluntary practices at any time of the year. But it will be the responsibility of families, as the “domestic Church”, to foster this spiritually energizing practice, not only during the required Lenten days, but at other times as well. To fast willingly, in reparation for our own sins and for others, can transform not only our own lives, but the life and vitality of the larger community.
As Pope Leo I stressed in the 5th century, the purpose of fasting is to foster pure, holy, and spiritual activity. It is an act of solidarity that joins us to Christ an act of self-donation in imitation of His total self-sacrifice. Fasting can heighten our understanding of Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church, and of our total dependence on His love and mercy.
Preparing for Lent
Septuagesima and Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
What is Shrove Tuesday
Mardi Gras
Lenten Prayers
Creighton University New
Lenten Reading
Aggie Catholics Lent FAQ
Aggie Catholics – Jumpstart your Prayer Life!
Aggie Catholic- 40 things to do for Lent
And Jesus Wept
Can a Mother Observe Lent
Coffee and my Inner Jesuit
Evangelicals observing Lent
Intentional Lent New!
Lent
Loveliness of Lent
The Meat Police
St. Paul Bible Study
Mother Angelica
The Story of a Life
Karen Edmisten – Lent postings
The Power of the Cross
Lenten Reading List from the Anchoress 2014
Lenten Recipes
Hula Pizza
Fasting Bread for Lent
Tasty Tuna Casserole from the Simple Dollar Blog
What’s for Dinner!!
Tuna Subs
Egg and Spam casserole for St. Patrick’s Day
Lenten Resources
10 Commandments of Lent for Moms
19 Things to give up for Lent New!
39 Ways to Keep Lent Holy without Giving Up Sweets! New!
Daily Graces – Lenten Journey with Mary New!
Saving the Rest of Lent
Pick Me Ups for the Homeschooling Mom
40 Ways to Improve your Lent
40 Ways to Get More out of Lent
Holy Heroes!
Observance of Lent
Lenten activities
Domestic-Church
EWTN Lent
Lent for Little Ones
66 Things to Give up for Lent
Liturgical Living at a Glance for Marc
Stations of the Cross Box for Kids
Don’t Waste your Lent! 7-Ways to Have a Good Lent New!
What to Give up For Lent according to your personality type! New!
Examination of Conscience
An Examination of Conscience for women
Examination of Conscience for Children
Father Hardon Examination of Conscience
Father Alberione Examination of Conscience
Examination of conscience
A Holy Thursday Reflection for Mothers New
Lenten Arts and Crafts
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2009/03/some-of-our-favorite-things-to-do-for.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2008/02/grace-under-pressure.html
Crown of Thorns Recipe and crown of thorns here
http://ponderedinmyheart.typepad.com/pondered_in_my_heart/2007/02/merciful_cross.html
Catechist corner
Lenten Promise Cards
The Saints of Lent
St. Perpetua and St. Felicity
St. Polycarp
St. Patrick Cupcakes
St. Patrick – History
St. Patrick’s Day Craft from Karen’ts Adventures in Mommyland
St. Patrick’s Day – Cottage Blessings.
St. Patrick Day Crafts – Catholic Icing
St. Patrick’s Day Books and Crafts
Shower of Roses St. Patrick’s Day
Virtual St. Joseph Altar Blog: 1st Annual St. Joseph Altar Blog Fest
The history of the St. Joseph Altar
The Virtual St. Joseph Altar
St. Joseph Altar
St. Joseph Novena for kids
Lent In My Domestic Church
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/search/label/Lent
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2012/02/simple-woman_20.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2011/03/simple-woman_21.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2009/03/another-lenten-practice-for-domestic.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2009/03/simple-woman.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2009/02/simple-woman_23.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2007/02/lent-in-my-domestic-church.html
https://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2007/02/story-on-my-family-in-parish-paper.html
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Way of the Cross for Holy Souls in Purgatory
Cukierski Family Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross Reflections
Lautare Sunday
Medeival Mother’s Day – 4th Sunday of Lent
The Triduum
Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday traditions and food New!
The Learning Experience of Holy Week
Holy Thursday- Fish Eaters
Holy Thursday – Catholic Online
Maudy Thursday
Catholic Culture
Easter
When is Easter