The Catholic Meaning of Lent

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1 The Catholic Meaning of Lent INTRODUCTION: Lent starts on the 7th Wednesday before Easter referred to as Ash Wednesday and lasts for a period of 40 days. It is a time of reflection and preparation replicating the Messiah's retreat into the desert prior to the start of His ministry. Lent is a season of intense inner contemplation and communion with the Lord through fasting and prayer. The purpose of Lent is to recall the events that lead up to His death as well as the crucifixion. It is believed that this practice took place in Jerusalem during the time that Israel was under Roman occupation. Twenty-first century Catholic churches who celebrate Lent use it as a time of penance and prayer. It is no longer a common practise to fast for the entire 40 days. Believers today typically abstain from things such as smoking, entertainment and food. Whatever sacrifice is made, it is a reflection of Jesus' surrendering in the wilderness and a test of self-discipline. WHERE DID THE NAME 'LENT' COME FROM? Lent is an ancient English word and it means 'to lengthen.' Lent is celebrated during Spring which is when daylight hours are extended. WHAT DOES THE COLOR PURPLE REPRESENT: During Lent churches will often drape their alters with the color purple. This is symbolic for two reasons: 1: It represents mourning and is significant of the pain and suffering on the cross. 2: Purple is the color of royalty and represents the Messiah's sovereignty and resurrection. HOLY WEEK: The last week of Lent is referred to as Holy Week, it is the most somber week in the Christian calender. It starts on Palm Sunday and is a week of deep mourning as Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life.

2 Page 2 WHY SHOULD I CELEBRATE LENT: Celebrating Lent is a great way to kickstart an in-depth relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If you are searching for your purpose in life and tired of living without a heart surrendered to the Lord Lent is a time to repent, turn back to God and allow Him to align His heart with yours and become all who He has called you to be. If you are serious about rebuilding your relationship with Christ, here are some of the things you should practice during this time: FASTING: Some people go without food during Lent, but you can also fast from the things that you know are responsible for distracting you from God such as TV, radio, reading magazines and novels. Instead of engaging in these activities, you should spend time seeking the Lord through reading and studying the Bible and worship. PRAYER: Prayer is essential in our walk with Christ, not only is it a time of fellowship and communion with the Lord, it also strengthens us to do the work that we have been assigned on the earth. The Bible instructs us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) however, during Lent you should make a conscious effort to engage in lengthy periods of prayer. FINAL THOUGHT: Prayer and fasting should be a way of life for every believer regardless of denomination. If like most, you are guilty of focusing on everything else but your relationship with Jesus and you have a true desire to be led by the Holy Spirit in everything that you do, use Lent as a time to re-establish yourself in the Lord and begin to live a Holy and disciplined life set apart for His Glory. Dan Rangel Grand Knight

3 Page 3 A NEW FILM ABOUT 17TH-CENTURY MISSIONARIES SHEDS LIGHT ON THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH TODAY Carl A. Anderson RECENTLY, I HAD the opportunity to view Martin Scorsese s new film, Silence, about two Jesuit missionaries who travel to Japan during the terrible 17th-century persecution of Christians there. They make the journey seeking to disprove rumors that a more senior Jesuit missionary in Japan has publicly renounced the faith. Silence is based upon the 1966 novel of the same name by the late Japanese Catholic author Shusaku Endo. The book raises profound questions regarding the challenge to Christian faith in the midst of suffering and a hostile culture. The most obvious is suggested by the film s title: How are we to understand the silence of God amid great suffering and evil? This is one of the deepest questions of our time, and it is explored in works about the Holocaust such as Elie Wiesel s book Night (1956) and Steven Spielberg s film Schindler s List (1993). Catholics have also long admired three exceptional films that have masterfully dealt with the question of conscience and martyrdom: Becket (1964), A Man for All Seasons (1966), and The Mission (1986). Now, 30 years after the last of these, a fourth must be added to the list: Silence. Some Catholics might wish that a film exploring this topic did not involve a plot about the apostasy of priests. But Scorsese has made a beautiful and important film, one that raises many profound moral and spiritual questions. He said making the film was a sort of pilgrimage for him. Catholics should see his film in just this way as a kind of pilgrimage, as a challenging and at times uncomfortable spiritual journey that can deepen our understanding and living of the faith. Silence could not be more relevant today as globalization presents new challenges to the Church s mission of evangelization. During one of the film s highpoints there is an exchange between two Jesuit missionaries. The younger Jesuit asserts that Christianity is universally true if it is not true in every culture, then it cannot be true for any. But the older one replies that Christianity cannot take root in Japan.

4 Page 4 The reality is, however, that thousands of Japanese had become Christians and endured horrible torture and death rather than renounce their faith. But to this fact, the older Jesuit claims that these Japanese martyrs do not really understand the faith; they embrace a mere shell of Christianity. There is something deeply troubling about this scene, where the sophisticated, highly educated Westerner rationalizes his abandonment of Christianity, while wretched Japanese peasants willingly give their lives for their faith. In many places in the West today, the light of Christian faith is diminishing, while throughout much of the rest of the world Christianity is growing stronger. This is especially true in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where many Christians are being persecuted and killed because of their faith. That Silence, written by a Japanese Catholic, would have such impact in the West should tell us something important about the future of global Christianity. Years ago, I visited the Hawaiian island of Molokai on a private pilgrimage in the footsteps of Father Damien. The leper priest was canonized in 2009, and the colony he served still exists on the island, with an active Catholic church. I will never forget seeing a photo of a woman of Japanese descent who suffered from leprosy. She prayed the rosary many times a day. When she no longer had fingers, she held the rosary beads with her toes. Finally, when this, too, became impossible, she would have the rosary placed in her mouth and moved the beads with her tongue. I thought of this woman as I reflected on the questions raised by Silence: How can Christianity take root in non-western cultures? What is the meaning of suffering in the midst of God s silence? Can the sophisticated learn faith from the poor and suffering? What is the impact of globalization on the solidarity of Christians? Christians will need to contend with these questions in the coming years, and how we do so will determine in many ways the future of Christianity. Through our principles of charity, unity and fraternity, Knights of Columbus are already providing concrete answers on all these fronts. And we must continue. Vivat Jesus!

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7 Page 6 March Events Ash Wednesday, March 1, ( Help park cars after 5 & 7pm Mass) First Fish Fry, March 3, at pm, Prince of Peace Hall (PoP ) Admission Meeting, March 9, at 7pm, portable #4,Prince of Peace Church(PoP Second Fish Fry, March 10, at 530pm-830pm, (PoP) Hall Officers Meeting, March 13, at 7pm, room 105, (PoP) Council General Meeting, March 16, at 7pm, Hall, (PoP) Third Fish Fry, March 17, at pm, (PoP)Hall First Degree ceremony, March 20, 730pm, portables 3 & 4 (PoP) Forth Fish Fry, March 24, at pm, (PoP) Hall Fifth Fish Fry,March 31, at pm (PoP) Hall

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