Lent
is our forty-day preparation for the feast of Easter, looking back to Jesus’
time of fasting in the wilderness before facing his mission. For much of
Christian history, Lent was as demanding as Ramadan now is for Muslims, with
Christians practicing penance and often only eating one meal
a day.
While few of us observe such austere regimes today, it is a time of focus and concentration, and of noticing what matters most in our lives. Some of us may find it helpful to abstain from things we want to help us do this.
Catholic liturgy calls Lent ‘the joyful season’ and it is a time to prepare for the miracle of new life at Easter. Over Holy Week we will tell the story of Jesus’ final days, as the political and religious powers will gather around him, take him, torture and kill him. And when we get to Easter, we will celebrate the promise of resurrection -- that despite the depths of hatred, absurdity and brutality that humanity can achieve, love and life will always have the final word.
We encourage you to use this season well. The links on this page show what is going on at St Alban’s and nearby to help you do so.