Lent is an opportunity to renew ourselves through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This may not sound like a list of activities that ought to bring about a lot of joy to many of us. Preface I of Lent, which may be used at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer at Holy Mass, highlights that Lent is indeed a season of joy:
“For by your gracious gift each year your faithful await the sacred paschal feasts with the joy of minds made pure, so that, more eagerly intent on prayer and on the works of charity, and participating in the mysteries by which they have been reborn, they may be led to the fullness of grace that you bestow on your sons and daughters.” (Roman Missal)
While Lent is meant to be a reflective and solemn liturgical season, it is not imposed upon us to produce callous and sad Christians. Annually, Holy Mother Church invites us to begin again by placing our spiritual eyes on Christ and the new life that flows from him through his victory over sin and death through the Resurrection. We are reminded that through the Lenten disciplines, we do penance to free our hearts, minds, souls and wills to more eagerly do good works, become more and more like Christ and increase our desire for eternal life in heaven.
St. Francis de Sales in his Semon on the Fourth Sunday of Lent from March 29, 1615, teaches this about prayer:
“All that remains is for us to state the necessary conditions to pray well. … I limit myself to mentioning only three. … The first is that one be little by humility; the second, that one be great in hope; and the third, that one be grafted onto Jesus Christ crucified. … Let us speak of the first, which is nothing other than that spiritual mendicancy of which Our Lord says: Blessed are the medicant [poor beggars] in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. … In order to pray well, then, we must acknowledge that we are poor, and we must greatly humble ourselves. … Let us pass now to hope, which is the second necessary condition for praying well. … Incense is far more appropriate as the symbol of hope, because, being placed upon fire, it always sends its smoke upward; likewise, it is necessary that hope be placed upon charity, otherwise it would no longer be hope, but rather presumption. … Let us come to the third necessary condition … it is necessary to be grafted onto Jesus Christ crucified. … Let us remain then at the foot of this Cross, and let us never depart from there, so that we may be saturated with the Blood which flows from it.”
Preface IV of Lent invites us to consider the results of the Lenten discipline of fasting, “For through bodily fasting [we] restrain our faults, raise up our minds, and bestow both virtue and its rewards, through Christ our Lord.”
The book, “Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Lent,” highlights 12 sermons by St. Francis de Sales concerning critical aspects of the Christian life given during Lent of 1622. How to resist temptation, the danger of losing one’s soul, living faith versus dead or dying faith, Christian attitude toward death, God’s special providence toward those living a spiritual life, the hidden meanings of our Lord’s Passion, eternal happiness and many other topics. Below are some of the key thoughts about fasting from St. Francis de Sales:
“I thought of speaking to you of the conditions which render fasting good and meritorious. Understand that of itself, fasting is not a virtue. It is a virtue only when it is accompanied by conditions which render it pleasing to God. We find some people who think that to fast well during the holy season of Lent it is enough to abstain from eating some prohibited food. We know very well that it is not enough to fast exteriorly if we do not also fast interiorly, and if we do not accompany the fast of the body with that of the spirit. Now among all the conditions required for fasting well, I will select three principal ones. … The first condition is that we must fast with our whole heart, willingly, wholeheartedly, universally and entirely. The second condition is never to fast through vanity but always through humility. The third condition necessary for fasting well is to look to God and to do everything to please Him.” (Sermon for Ash Wednesday, February 9, 1622)
Preface III of Lent articulates the results of our fasting and abstinence, namely that we are more and more free to give alms and performs meritorious acts of charity, “For you will that our self-denial should give you thanks, humble our sinful pride, contribute to the feeding of the poor, and so help us imitate you in your kindness.” (Roman Missal)
St. Francis de Sales in his spiritual classic “Introduction to the Devout Life” teaches that “Let your tongue be poor with them in converse but let your hands be rich to distribute out of your abundance!” (Part III – 15. How to exercise real Poverty, although actually Rich)
Preface II of Lent asks us to consider what Lenten disciplines prepare us for, namely eternal life, “For you have given your children a sacred time for the renewing and purifying of their hearts, that, freed from disordered affections, they may so deal with the things of this passing world as to hold rather to the things that eternally endure.” (Roman Missal) Through the encouragement of St. Francis de Sales we are reminded that “Nothing is small in the service of God,” so let’s try all over again this Lent.
One of the great purposes of Lent is to bring about a spiritual conversion through the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The work of Lenten conversion is accomplished by both God and us; by God, principally through God’s Word, the sacrament of Penance and the Holy Eucharist; by us, mainly through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
We pray, through the Lenten disciplines and through the intercession of the Church that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ and share forever in the glory of heaven. This is a tale worth living. Have a Lent filled with joy!
