Lent 2016

“I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” 

(Matthew 9:13) 

The works of mercy on the road 

of the Jubilee.

Lent is a period of repentance (penitence) and conversion of forty days which begins on Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2016 till Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil), 26 March 2016 which is actually forty six days apart. Why Lent is forty days, when there is forty six days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday? This is because all the six Sundays during the lent period are excluded as lent days as it is a day of joy we celebrate Christ's Resurrection which is also symbolize "mini-Easters'. We repent in our daily actions by prayer, fasting and abstinence, and Confession in remembrance and preparation towards the summit of Lent the Easter Triduum (Christ's Paschal Mystery) which is the Last Supper of the Lord on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thurday), the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and Christ's Resurrection on Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. The liturgical services that take place during the Easter Triduum are Mass of the Lord's Supper (Maundy Thursday), Good Friday of the Lord's Passion and Death, and Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord (Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday).

For our sake he made him 

to be sin who knew no sin, 

so that in him we might 

become the righteousness of God. 

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

The days will come when the bridegroom 

will be taken away from them, 

and then they will fast in those days. 

(Luke 5:35)

As we recall Christ's broken body, His blood poured out for us and punished for our sins, therefore during the lent season we are called to be more in prayer truly seeking the Lord, to experience lament for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need. We repent during the season of lent and we are renewed in the Resurrection of the Lord at Easter. Lord, give us the strength to journey through the lament season of Lent, so that we may be able to arise with new life and rejoice in Your Resurrection on Easter morning.

But I trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

(Psalm 13:5-6)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is thy faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:22-23)