"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights..." (Matthew 4:1-2, JB)
Beginning tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, Christians all over the world will begin the season of Lent in which we commemorate the the fasting and trials of our Lord after his baptism, as well as the 40 years of wandering by the Hebrews. On this first day, many will be marked with the burnt ashes of blessed palms as a sign of penance, mourning, and faith.
It may be a difficult notion, that one should fast, give alms, and pray in preparation for such a great feast (the Resurrection, but you knew that). However, we should call to mind that this first quarter of the liturgical year is perfectly modeled off of the historical life of Jesus. Recall that He was transfigured, and then made His way to the Cross. We must see that it is through our self-denial, contrition, love, and prayer that we come to share in the glory of Christ's defeat of death.
How you may ask? Conversion. Through these self-giving actions we come to emulate Christ and His life on earth. It was He that fasted, ministered, prayed, and finally gave His life for our salvation. Let us be holy as He is holy (cf. 1 Peter 1:15), and strive to live our lives based on the perfect example of Jesus, all the while knowing that it is only through His grace and mercy that we can come to be as He is.
"...through the personal encounter with our Redeemer and through fasting, almsgiving and prayer, the journey of conversion towards Easter leads us to rediscover our Baptism. This Lent, let us renew our acceptance of the Grace that God bestowed upon us at that moment, so that it may illuminate and guide all of our actions. What the Sacrament signifies and realizes, we are called to experience every day by following Christ in an ever more generous and authentic manner. In this our itinerary, let us entrust ourselves to the Virgin Mary, who generated the Word of God in faith and in the flesh, so that we may immerse ourselves – just as she did – in the death and resurrection of her Son Jesus, and possess eternal life."
The Message of His Holiness for Lent 2011
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