DETROIT — Next week, Catholics around the world will have their foreheads marked with the sign of the cross, as the Church enters Lent, a season driven by self-examination, self-denial and self-control. Beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter, Lent calls Catholics to prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by practicing the three traditional pillars of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
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Fasting is a particularly significant part of the season for many. Through fasting, Catholics mirror the 40 days and nights of Christ’s time in the desert, when he endured Satan’s temptation. Lenten discipline can take many forms, from the traditional abstinence from eating certain foods, to giving up certain activities; the point is to instill the idea of discipline.
According to Dan McAfee, worship director of the Archdiocese of Detroit, the focus of Lent is to prepare the unbaptized for the sacrament, and to have those who have been baptized examine how well they have been living a Christian lifestyle.
“The season has a baptismal focus … to reflect on our baptism, and if we have lived up to that sacrament,” McAfee said.
McAfee noted that sometimes people mistake fasting and abstinence as the same thing, when there are key differences.
“There are two days to fast: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting is having one full meal a day, and two smaller meals that aren’t as big as the full meal. Abstinence is not eating meat and flesh foods on Friday,” McAfee said.
The discipline of abstinence forbids flesh meats, but does not include eggs, milk products, or condiments made with animal fat. Fish is a common alternative to meat on Fridays.
Although fasting is one core of Catholic discipline during Lent, each of the pillars come into play during the season. The key to getting the most out of your Lenten season, McAfee said, is recognizing how to incorporate each of them into your daily worship.
“We’re encouraged to pray more. We’re reminded to pray more frequently — hopefully daily — to fast on fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and to somehow connect that to the almsgiving,” McAfee said.
As far as prayer goes, Catholics are asked to specifically contemplate the Passion and death of Christ. One way to do this is through the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross), in which Catholics recognize Christ’s suffering and dying for our sin by following and meditation on each of 14 points from his condemnation to death to his being placed in the tomb.
Almsgiving refers to helping others through donation, not only in money, but also time and talents.
McAfee referenced traditional ways in which parishes can connect their sacrifices with helping others. Many parishes have collections for food and money throughout Lent that are donated to the less fortunate.
McAfee also said one’s fasting can be used to benefit others on a personal level.
“It’s also a traditional practice to keep the money we save by not eating as we normally do, and giving that money to the poor,” he said.
