Lent Offers Numerous Wonderful Opportunities to Grow in Faith and Service

E ach year seems to go by faster and faster. And before we know it, Lent is over and Easter has arrived. We don’t want this important time to sneak up on us this year — after all, as Pope Francis has pointed out, Lent is an important time for renewal in our faith. In his message for Lent 2018, the Holy Father told us, “In our preparation for Easter, God, in His providence, offers us each year the season of Lent as a sacramental sign of our conversion. Lent summons us, and enables us to come back to the Lord wholeheartedly and in every aspect of our life.”

With the COVID-19 precautions in place, Lent activities may look a bit different this year, says Fr. John Wakube. Yet, Lent can still be a time of conversion, personal prayer, and penance.

Stations of the Cross, a common Lenten observance, are prayed at 7 p.m. on Fridays during Lent. There are also multiple opportunities for Reconciliation, in addition to the weekly times. We are also encouraged to attend the Triduum Masses — Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday.

We spent some of last Lent not being able to attend in-person Mass, due to COVID-19 precautions. But, our parish doors were always open for prayer, says Fr. John.

During the time with no public Masses, most of us learned a new term — Spiritual Communion. This was our only option to receive the Eucharist, through prayer. Fr. John is thankful and hopeful that we can safely celebrate Mass and receive the Eucharist during this Lent and Easter. He has been impressed with the ways people are staying connected.

“People are starting to come back to Mass,” he says. “People missed the fellowship and getting together with one another after Mass, but people are still finding ways to stay united.”

While it is not safe to gather in a large group, especially for the most vulnerable, Fr. John says the best thing we can do this Lent is to pray. There are so many needs around us, whether involving poverty, or mental or physical illness.

“Find prayers you can pray online,” he says. “Pray for each other. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Pray for the sick. Pray for our country.”

He also recommends finding prayer groups and ways to connect on social media.

We will continue with the Lenten tradition of dropping prayers and money in the boxes at the entrance to Immaculate Conception. The money is given to Catholic Charities and other organizations helping the poor in the North Little Rock Area. Fr. John also recommends continuing to donate items and money to benefit the poor and homebound. This is another thing we can do from home.

Let us use this Lent to draw closer to our Lord in prayer, so we can fully celebrate the beauty of Easter 2021!