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February 15, 2024The church has entered a solemn period in the liturgical calendar, as Ash Wednesday opened the Lenten season, the familiar time of fasting, sacrifice and almsgiving.
And a time of preparing one’s spiritual life for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“A solemn season means that it is a time set aside for us to think about our sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness,” said Father Carson Krittenbrink, reflecting on the solemnity of the season from his office at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Ponca City.
“Solemnity is a more direct time to approach the Lord to forgive us our sins.”
On Ash Wednesday ashes placed in the form of a cross on the forehead represent the first symbol of prayer and almsgiving.
“The symbol of ashes signifies our own weaknesses, humanness in which we can feel burned out in the sinfulness and worldliness of life,” said Father Zachary Boazman, priest in residence at Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church in Oklahoma City.
Fasting plays a major role in the Lenten season, a chance to sacrifice something in one’s life.
“We read from Matthew’s Gospel where he spoke about the three essential penitent actions that are appropriate for Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving,” Father Boazman said. “We don’t fast from things that are spiritually good, but worldly goods, bodily goods, giving up food or specific drinks, giving up worldly habits.”
There are specific concepts concerning Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
“The two rules regarding fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, where the church describes as having one meal, and two smaller meals that together don’t add up to one meal,” Father Boazman said.
Many believe that fasting is abstaining from eating food on a given day, although that is not always the case.
“Fasting as a practice is something that was typically understood to be not eating,” Father Boazman said. “Fasting isn’t like abstaining, fasting like we don’t eat. Our bodies still need nourishment.”
One of the most common forms of fasting is abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent. Some avoid meet on Fridays throughout the year.
“I think the Church always understood meat to be a more substantial form of nourishment, so by not allowing meat, that is still something you’re giving up, some form of fast,” Father Boazman said. “Traditionally it was every Friday you would abstain from meat, and the Church still invites us to do penance on Fridays.”
Lent can also be a time of spiritual growth, a time of deepening a faith in Christ.
“I always tell Catholics that we want to be good Catholics, and we want to pray the Rosary, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, read a chapter from the Bible each day,” Father Krittenbrink said.
“What I recommend to people is see what your most dire need is in your spiritual life and do that. If you haven’t read the scriptures, start reading your Bible every day. If you want a closer relationship to Mary, pray the Rosary.”
He added that it is easy to seek more spiritually, yet without a plan, it can easily end quickly.
“We miss something and miss something, and we shrug our shoulders, and say, ‘Maybe next year,’” Father Krittenbrink said.
Stations of the Cross is another opportunity to gain a deepening of faith.
“It is a reminder of how much Jesus loves us, and it reminds you how much Jesus suffered for us, and we should give up our lives for him,” Father Krittenbrink said.
Even with the solemnity of the season, the fasting and almsgiving, joy ultimately wins out.
“We place our hope in the new life that only Christ can offer us as we look forward to celebrating his resurrection at Easter,” Father Boazman said.
Everett Brazil, III, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Click HERE to view Lenten Penance Rites, 2024
Oklahoma City and surrounding areas
Photo: Fr. Carson Krittenbrink performs Stations of the Cross at St. Mary Catholic Church in Ponca City during the 2023 Lenten season. Stations of the Cross is one way to prepare hearts for Easter, which also includes fasting and praying. Photo Everett Brazil, III/Sooner Catholic.