For the 40 holy days leading up to Easter, Catholics all across the globe, and even our home campus, devote themselves to deep prayer, fasting, and the most extreme levels of discipline in preparation for what is largely considered the most important Catholic/Christian celebration of the year: Easter.
The pre-Easter celebration of Lent can be traced back to the early fourth century, with the earliest practices focusing largely on the fasting aspect of it. In its earlier stages, the different factors of Lent differed from church to church. Despite the small nuances, the universal purpose of Lent was to emulate Jesus’ venture of 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. Over time, these practices have solidified into what we have today.
“To me, Lent helps us become closer to God by letting go of something important to us for a long period of time,” reflects freshman Kelly Castillo on her interpretation of Lent.
Now, the common practice for most Catholics is to abstain from meat every Friday leading up to Easter, fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and giving up one vice for the whole of Lent in an effort towards repentance, along with giving back to your community throughout the entirety of the season.
For many, giving something up is the most important aspect of Lent. For Castillo, this Lent season, she gave up judgment. “I’m more open-spirited now,” she says.
In the case of senior Preston Diaz, “This season I’ve given up laziness, because I feel like so much of my time has been wasted because I choose to sit around on my phone.” Diaz explains that the reasoning behind giving up something for Lent is rooted in bettering oneself and making more deliberate decisions.
“After completing Lent, I feel more accomplished, you know, because I’ve stayed dedicated to giving something up for 40 days,” shares Castillo. “I feel like a different person in the end.”
On the contrary, Lent is not all about giving something up. For those who don’t observe this aspect of it, like most Christians, the focus shifts to community preparations and family traditions for Easter. For many, these preparations include practicing deeper prayer, reading the Bible, and eventually the celebration of Easter.
Senior Noah Dodd shares, “On Easter, I go to church at Almansor Park, and every year they have free tacos at the park, so it’s like a picnic.”
Despite these differences in practice, both Catholics and Christians feel the obligation of age and traditional responsibility when it comes to their religion. As you get older, more responsibility falls on you to carry on your religious practices and carry the weight of your faith. For many of the students on campus, they are feeling this obligation.
“I’m almost a grown man, so I definitely feel that weight to take things more seriously,” says Diaz.
Dodd agrees, saying, “Now that I’m older, it’s my responsibility to read the Bible, you know, at home and pray without being reminded to do so.”
Whether it be sacrificing something for 40 days, giving back to your community, praying, or reading the Bible, the season of Lent is marked by reflection and displaying true dedication to religion. This season is not shaped by a specific checklist, but is rather a chance to renew oneself by participating in various ways, showing us that there are more than just a few ways to express our faith within one religion.
