Journey through Lent with the Popes
The Season of Lent is not a convenient 40-day diet, but a time to renew our trust and hope in the Lord, a time to renew our faith and continue on our pilgrim journey to the joy of Easter.
WHY JOIN?
For some time now card shops have been encouraging us to focus on that important date in February – sadly, not Ash Wednesday, 18 February, but Saturday 14 February, St Valentine's Day! One day associated with greetings cards, expensive flowers, and romantic meals, the other a penitential day of fasting and abstinence, the start of the season of Lent.
But before we dismiss the romance of St Valentine's Day, a word about this early saint may provide some food for thought: Valentine was a priest who lived in the 3rd century and who healed the blind daughter of a Roman judge. In thanksgiving, the judge destroyed all the pagan images in his household and released all Christian prisoners. He and all his household were baptised. But later Valentine was again arrested for converting people to Christianity and refused to renounce his faith. Emperor Claudius II had him put to death and he was executed in Rome on 14 February 270.
Not much there to do with romantic cards. But Valentine was a man of virtue who devoted his life to sharing his love for Christ and was martyred for his faith.
Renewing our love for Christ? Witnessing to our faith? Isn't that what Lent is about, calling us to focus on prayer, almsgiving and charity?
Encouraged by the example of Saint Valentine, I invite you to join us on this journey of renewal towards Easter.
“Once again the Lord is calling us to follow him along the journey of Lent. Each year all the faithful are invited to respond anew as individuals and as a community to our baptismal vocation and to bear fruits of conversion. Lent is a journey of evolving, creative reflection which inspires penance and gives new impetus to every aspect of our commitment to follow the Gospel. It is a journey of love which opens the hearts of believers to our brothers and sisters and draws them to God” (Saint Pope John Paul II).
The Programme
Every Sunday and Wednesday in Lent and every day in Holy Week a series of meditations and questions for reflections, linked to the papal Messages for Lent published in recent years, will be posted to help us prepare for the joy of the Resurrection.
Liam Kelly
Liam Kelly works at Ampleforth Abbey and has written a number of books, including Lent in 50 Moments, a series of reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Wednesday.