CPG NATIONAL CHAPLAINS' LENTEN MESSAGE

Lent is the liturgical season lasting 40 days and 40 nights in preparation for the celebration of Easter. For many Christians, it can be a challenging period, as it traditionally involves giving up certain comforts or taking on additional spiritual practices in readiness for Easter Sunday, which this year falls on Sunday 5 April and the Easter season that follows.

The season begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on Wednesday 18 February. Ash Wednesday is observed as a day of fasting and abstinence, during which Christians are required to forgo a meal and abstain from eating meat. The preceding day, Shrove Tuesday—often known as Pancake Day—developed as a practical way to use up remaining ingredients before the Lenten fast began.

Ash Wednesday takes its name from the practice of receiving blessed ashes on the forehead in the sign of the cross during a special Mass or service. As these ashes are not sacramental, they may be received by anyone who wishes to begin Lent with an outward sign of their intention to make positive spiritual changes. It is therefore common to see people throughout the day with what may look like a dark smudge on their forehead—a visible indication of their commitment to the Lenten journey, symbolically following Jesus into the desert where he was tempted and tested.

Lent can feel especially demanding when it involves giving up familiar comforts such as chocolate, sweets, alcohol, cigarettes, or other personal habits. However, Lent is not meant to be a crash diet or an exercise in going “cold turkey.” Rather, it is an opportunity to step back from the things we may rely on excessively, so that we can refocus on what truly matters. It is a spiritual detox—a time of renewal and preparation beyond the “desert” moments of everyday life.

For those wishing to participate meaningfully in Lent, it is wise not to make the experience unnecessarily difficult. Choose something realistic and manageable to give up. Alternatively, Lent can be a time to take on an additional practice rather than surrendering one. If so, select something achievable rather than overly ambitious. And if, during the 40 days, you happen to falter, do not be discouraged—simply begin again.

Fr. Barry Lomax

National Chaplain and Fellow of The Catholic Police Guild of England and Wales.