A Time of Purification and Enlightenment
By Dr. Arthur D. Canales
The six-week liturgical season of Lent is a time when each Christian is called to journey with Jesus in a much more serious manner than the rest of the liturgical year. Lent does not have to be a “downer,” it is not meant to be the season of “gloom and doom,” but one of joy. The word “lent” actually means “springtime,” and spring is a time when many people find good reason to celebrate with great joy. The season of Lent allows Christians to deepen their commitment to God as they strive to develop a deeper and meaningful personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, Lent should not be the season of moping around; it should be a season where one “gets right with God.” According to liturgical theologian Kevin W. Irwin, “Lent is an annual pilgrimage, an annual retreat, an annual time for stock-taking and soul-searching about the meaning of the Christian life” (Lent: A Guide to the Eucharist and Hours, 1990; 1).
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