Lent calls us to a deeper repentance and conversion

MONSIGNOR ROBERT JAEGER: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are just the beginning . . .

Monsignor Robert Jaeger

Lent is an Anglo-Saxon root word that means simply “spring.” And since the season of spring is about the budding forth of new life, so too is our season of lent. Traditionally and liturgically it’s a season of repentance and conversion.

Lent is also a season in which we prepare to celebrate what the Church calls the Paschal Mystery — the mystery of the passion, death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus. It’s a season of new life and so our focus on repentance and conversion must be about new life.

At its root, the word “conversion” contains the Latin word vertere, which means simply “to turn.” A conversion is a turning, or a turning back. This was the great cry of the Old Testament prophets: shub, turn back to the Lord of the covenant. But the call of the prophets was not heeded. Only occasionally did the people turn back and then not for long. As a consequence, the nations of Israel and Judah were conquered. Israel was dispersed by the Assyrians and Judah was taken into exile in Babylon. When they turned their backs on the Lord, they became once again what they were before he made them his own: slaves.

We are the people of the New Covenant. As Jeremiah prophesied and as Jesus fulfilled, this is a covenant that cannot be broken because it forgives sin. It is aware of sin, but it forgives sin. And this should be our approach to Lenten conversion. In this holy season, we are aware of our sin. We examine our consciences, we approach the sacrament of Reconciliation, we confess our sins humbly, and we receive God’s great mercy. This is not the end of the story, of course. After Lent, after Confession, we strive to live our lives more perfectly in accord with the love of God. This is the new life that Lent is about.

Traditionally there are three practices that characterize the season of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. About prayer: All of us can afford to do more. Lenten liturgies are magnificent in their readings and prayers. If we can get to Mass on weekdays, we should. If not, we can at least look at the daily Mass readings found here. I encourage everyone to invest some extra time in prayer during Lent. Get up a little earlier in the morning. Sit quietly with the Lord for five or 10 minutes. You will feel the difference in your day, believe me.

The same goes with fasting: We can do more. We live in a land of plenty and our waistlines show it. In fact, even our pets are overweight! During Lent, we observe strict fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Abstaining from meat is required of all Catholics 14 years of age and older. Reducing food intake is required of Catholics between the ages of 18 and 60. By this is meant only one full meal a day, supported by two smaller meals or snacks; no food is taken between meals. Abstinence is required of all Catholics on Fridays of Lent. Fasting is recommended but not required for all days of Lent except Sundays. The purpose of these exercises is to impose some sort of deprivation on ourselves as an act of penance. Fasting can also lend itself to more fervent prayer.

Finally we have almsgiving. I know Legates are generous with tithing and charitable giving. Be faithful to these practices. Many of us can easily afford a literal 10% tithe, and I commend those who do so. But almsgiving not just about signing a check or making an electronic funds transfer. It’s more personal. Many of us ignore the homeless on the street or the beggars who stand at street corners with their signs. Some of them may indeed be the frauds we suspect they are, but not all. Christ identified himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, and the imprisoned. Do we really want to be responsible for ignoring him in them?

As Legates, Ambassadors for Christ, let’s let Lent be a springtime of new life in all of us. Let’s be humble, penitent, prayerful, mortified, and generous. Let’s be the kind of people Christ has always dreamed we could be.

MONSIGNOR ROBERT E. JAEGER is the chaplain of Legatus’ Colorado Springs Chapter. He is vicar general of the Diocese of Colorado Springs and pastor of St. Paul Parish.