Lenten Reflections

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By Stephanie Firth ’23

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Lent as the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting. Although this definition may be from an official dictionary, it does not fully encapsulate what Lent means to our Saint Anselm College community. Lent at Saint Anselm College means having several Ash Wednesday services in order to accommodate for the vast demand of the receiving of the body of Christ and ashes. It means learning more about the importance of penance and reconciliation. It means understanding what this time of year means for us. In this Holy time of Lent, we must hear God’s word fully. What does this mean?

Today’s reading explains to us that similar to rain and snow, God’s word does not just simply return back to Him. Like rain and snow get absorbed by the ground and the universe around it, we must take God’s word and absorb it fully. Instead of simply hearing God’s word, we must meditate on how we can apply it to our lives as Catholics. The Responsorial Psalm reminds us of God’s presence in our lives, especially in times of struggle and hardship. The message that we can gather from this is that even if we may not feel like everything is going to be okay, it is because God is always with us. From all their distress, God rescues the just. This passage from the Gospel according to Matthew instructs us on the proper way to pray, and it leads us into the Lord’s prayer. This prayer might be something that we are used to saying without putting much thought into it. However, its importance cannot be forgotten. The Lord’s prayer teaches us that repentance and forgiveness of those around us is paramount to our spiritual growth. In this time of Lent, let us seek forgiveness and a deeper relationship with God.