Insights On The Season of Lent

Since its beginning, the “reason for the season” of Lent has been a time of preparation for Easter.  In the early Church Easter was the time when new members were initiated into the Christian community. Those preparing for baptism, known as 'catechumens', fasted for two days beforehand.  Gradually this time of preparation lengthened until, by the fourth century, it had become 40 days. The authority of the 40 days comes from the time that Christ spent in the desert and from the fasts of Moses and Elias.  There has been some variation in counting the 40 days over history.  Around the fifth century it became established as the period of 40 days before Holy Thursday - not counting Sundays, which are never days of fasting.

It was also at this time that the name 'Lent', from an old English word meaning 'to lengthen', was given to this 6-week period.  The name ‘Lent’ comes from an old English word meaning ‘to lengthen’. It was used to describe the time leading to Easter because in the northern hemisphere it occurred when the short winter days were gradually growing longer. 

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy describes Lent as being “marked by two themes, the baptismal and penitential” (109).

The General Norms of the Liturgical Year and the Calendar says: “Lent is a preparation for the celebration of Easter. For the Lenten liturgy disposes both catechumens and the faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery: catechumens, through the several stages of Christian initiation; the faithful, through reminders of their own baptism and through penitential practices.” (27)

For those who will be baptised at Easter, Lent is a period of intense preparation called the “Period of Purification and Enlightenment”. During Lent we are all on a journey as we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery at the Easter Triduum and continue that celebration throughout the 50 days of the joyful Season of Easter.

Planning Liturgy for Lent 

A few suggestions that might simplify the Lent planning process:

• Do not reinvent the seasons each year. Start with what was done in previous years.
• When planning Lent, keep Triduum and Easter season in mind.
• Keep music to a minimum – no Gloria or Alleluias; instruments used only to accompany singing. 
• Using a seasonal psalm and a common Mass setting on all Sundays helps unify the season. 
• The tone is one of restraint and simplicity - decorations understated, greater use of silence 
• Appendix V of the Missal offers model General Intercessions for Lent.
• Solemn Blessing 5 (For the Passion of the Lord) may replace the Prayer over the People on all Sundays. 
• Celebrating the Liturgy of the Hours (morning prayer or evening prayer) as a parish is a way for the faithful to deepen their spiritual life during Lent.
  

One way of understanding the structure of Lent is this:

• The first four weeks take their direction from the readings, penitential rites and the rites related to the Catechumenate (RCIA).
• On the fifth Sunday of Lent (17 March next year) the focus shifts to Christ's passion.
• Holy Week runs from Passion/Palm Sunday until the beginning of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
• The Triduum (Latin for "three days") refers to the period from the evening of Holy Thursday until the evening of Easter Sunday.

The Gospel readings for the six Sundays of Lent always follow the same pattern: 

1st Sunday - The temptations in the desert

2nd Sunday - The Transfiguration

3rd Sunday - The woman at the well

4th Sunday - The man born blind

5th Sunday - The raising of Lazarus

6th Sunday - The Passion

Appropriate symbols to use for liturgies in Lent are given to us:

• Ashes - a symbol of humility, purification and sorrow and a sign of willingness to cleanse our heart through prayer, fasting and self-denial.
• Cross - no other sign so clearly symbolises Christianity 
• Purple - Purple or violet is the prescribed liturgical colour for Lent.  It should be a sombre blue-violet in contrast to the lighter purple of Advent.  

This quote from the Preface of Lent I may seem surprising to those people who are accustomed to thinking of Lent solely as a time of penance: “Each year, you give us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed”. Lent is certainly a period marked by seriousness, but, contrary to certain stereotypes, it is also a time of joy. Lent is not a period of guilt–laden introspection, but a joyful walk towards the great season of Easter, a progression in the Church toward the summit of the liturgical year. 

Image Attribution - Simpson Desert, Tandrew22