“Repent and Believe in the Gospel”
These words begin our celebration of Lent, and are said as the sign of the Cross is traced on our foreheads, reminding us of our own mortality, and our sinfulness. While we do not simply stop there, it gives us a profound moment of reflection as we spiritually enter into the same desert where Christ spent forty days and forty nights fasting.
There are three primary things that the Church invites us to do during this sacred season:
- Pray- spend time with God in solitude
- Fast- remind ourselves of our reliance upon God- who is supposed to be our source and strength
- Give alms- share with those less fortunate than us in works of charity that further conform us to Christ.
You’ll notice a stark contrast in the way our church is decorated for this season verses the way that it is normally adorned. Typically, we have all sorts of festive adornments and flowers around the sanctuary, and during Lent, it is very simple- there is a cross, a few purple cloths, and some subtle ornamentation. That is because during this time, our souls are to be bare, without any sort of flowery display, so that our Lord can reach us in a new and powerful way. Yet, in that, the beauty of the tabernacle, which houses Christ’s presence, still remains.
Eventually, as we endure forty days of poverty in the desert, we are led to encounter Christ at the very end, in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, as we have prepared ourselves for this moment of profound importance.
During this season- may we all “Repent, and Believe in the Gospel.”
