How Do Students at CUA Plan to Observe Lent? -

By Zachary Lichter

This year, March 5 marked the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Students at CUA and Catholics all over the world received ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross as they were reminded to “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

CUA’s Campus Ministry maintained their Daily Mass schedule times where students could receive ashes in the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel. They also had the option of receiving ashes with the Liturgy of the Word in the Caldwell Auditorium, Byron Hall inside the Columbus School of Law, and the Caldwell Auditorium, where students would hear the Readings for Ash Wednesday, but wouldn’t receive Communion since it’s not considered a Mass.

As people walked out of church on Ash Wednesday, it was a physical reminder that the Lenten season had already begun. But aside from all the hype, conversations, and reminders, what exactly is Lent?

Lent celebrates the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert before beginning His public ministry. Between March 5 and April 20, Catholics all over the world will observe this 40-day period by fasting, praying, going to Confession, not eating meat on Fridays, and almsgiving.

Maria Testa, a freshman marketing major, commented on why people should observe Lent.

“People should observe Lent because I believe it will allow them to make Jesus’ suffering and Resurrection more significant,” Testa said. “Lent is a season of reflection and contemplation. Observing Lent is a reminder of what the Cross is and to remember what the Cross means to Catholics. “

Ciara Lacey, a junior theology major and Resident Minister for Unanue commented on how she plans to motivate her residents to observe Lent.

“I plan on motivating my residents to fully enter into the Lenten season,” Lacey said. “To pray, fast, and give alms. I am going to motivate them to pray more frequently, receive the sacraments more frequently, and try to give up something that has been an idol in their own lives. Every week I like to give them a weekly prayer challenge and going into Lent I will probably take the prayer challenges a step deeper.”

As mentioned earlier, Lent usually begins on Ash Wednesday. The ashes are made of burnt palm leaves used from Palm Sunday the previous year. They symbolize a person’s grief for the sins they may have done. This sin represents the division of how God is perfect and how the human person is imperfect.

During Lent, people are asked to sacrifice or give up something like chocolate or social media as penance. They also have the option of doing a spiritual devotion like praying the Rosary daily or going to the Liturgy of the Hours. The point of doing a spiritual sacrifice or devotion is to remind people about Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross and to bring people closer to God.

In addition to making sacrifices or doing a spiritual devotion, Catholics are encouraged to not eat meat on Fridays. Since Jesus gave up His flesh on Good Friday so that people could gain eternal life, it’s customary that people avoid eating meat that day as a reminder of His sacrifice. Catholics can eat eggs, milk, cheese, butter, and animal fats as well as fish.

Keeping the idea of avoiding meat on Fridays in mind, Catholics are encouraged to fast. Fasting involves one full meal including two smaller meals during the day. The age of fasting is from 18 to 59 for those who are in good health. Pregnant women and those suffering from a mental or physical illness are exempt from fasting.

Other traditions of Lent include going to Confession and almsgiving. Confession is encouraged during Lent because it allows people to confess their sins as they prepare their hearts for the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Almsgiving is when people donate money to those in need or volunteer somewhere to replicate God’s love and grace.

The rituals of prayer, sacrifice, fasting, avoiding meat on Fridays are observed during Lent every year. The season of Lent is more prominent this year because it is the Jubilee year. Pope Francis’s theme for this Jubilee year is “Pilgrims of Hope” and he asks that the Church renews their practice of hope. So while these rituals are observed every year, the Holy Father asks that people observe these traditions with the virtue of hope in mind and that these traditions bring people closer to God.