Lent: A Journey Through Suffering to Resurrection
Lent , a sacred season of forty days, is a pilgrimage of the soul, a time of preparation for the glorious celebration of Easter. It's an invitation to journey with Jesus through His Passion, death, and resurrection, allowing His transformative love to reshape our hearts. Our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving during this period are not mere external acts, but profound spiritual exercises that draw us closer to Jesus' suffering and ultimately, to the joy of His resurrection. Fasting: Sharing in Christ's Deprivation Fasting, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, is a way to "purify our hearts and dispose ourselves to a deeper encounter with God" ( CCC 1438 ). When we abstain from food or other comforts, we experience a small taste of the deprivation Jesus endured during His Passion. This physical sacrifice allows us to identify with His suffering, creating space in our lives for deeper contemplation and prayer. It reminds us that our true sustenance com...