Lent: A time of grace and spiritual renewal
The Lord gives us the special season of Lent as a time of grace. We are called to prepare for the great Easter Triduum wherein we celebrate the action of God who saves us. We are invited to be renewed in spirit. During this season we have a variety of means to focus on spiritual renewal – the liturgical celebrations, devotions, the Way of the Cross, acts of charity, and our own personal practices of penance. We turn away from sin and turn towards God and our neighbour in love. In this season we also pray for those preparing for baptism.
The days prescribed for a common practice of penance are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. Canon 1249 of the Code of Canon Law states that on these days “the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence …”
Canon Law authorizes Episcopal Conferences to determine, in place of abstinence, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety. Our Episcopal Conference has discussed this in depth, and several alternatives are suggested below. Many follow the ancient practice of abstinence from all meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. You may choose one or more from the forms given below, as an alternative, or in addition to the ancient practice. This is also a time for Sacramental Confession. You are encouraged to seek the graces offered by this Sacrament during the season of Lent.
The alternative forms of penance suggested for the Archdiocese of Bombay are:
A. Forms of Prayer:
(a) Attending Mass (b) Making the Way of the Cross (c) A visit to the Blessed Sacrament
(d) Reading the Scriptures (e) Praying the Liturgy of the Hours (f) Family Prayer together
- the Rosary, or Scripture Reading and Reflection, or some other prayer (g) For the home-
bound: Meditating on the Lord's Passion.
B. Acts of Penance:
(a) Missing a meal - breakfast, lunch or supper (b) Taking vegetarian meals (c) Abstaining
from alcohol and/or smoking, for those accustomed to these (d) Avoiding films/television
and other forms of recreation
C. Works of Charity:
(a) Giving 10% of one's daily earnings in charity (b) Offering a meal to a poor family
(c) Offering voluntary service for some social/charitable work (d) Visiting the sick/aged
/lonely (e) Donating blood
D. I urge that in Lent we take special care of God’s creation by carbon fasting or in some other way.
Fasting:
a) The days prescribed for obligatory fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Some may feel inspired to fast every Friday in Lent, and this is a beneficial spiritual exercise.
b) The law of fasting binds those who have completed their 18th year till the beginning of the 60th year.
c) Those who are fasting may take only one full meal per day. A light breakfast may be taken in the morning and a light supper in the evening. But one can always reverse the order of the meals e.g. take the full meal in the evening, instead of the afternoon.
d) Those who cannot keep the law of fasting without considerable difficulty because of health, work, etc. are excused from the observance of the law. Our faithful are however urged not to excuse themselves too easily from this obligation, as it is but fitting that on the two prescribed days of fasting, we unite ourselves in a special manner with the Passion and Death of Our Saviour by a more intense form of penance.
Dispensation:
In case of difficulty regarding the fulfilment of the obligation of common penance and fasting, or a doubt regarding the existence of factors excusing from these obligations, a dispensation may be obtained from the Parish Priest or Confessor. A dispensation from the law of common penance and fasting is hereby granted to members of the Armed Forces and Security Personnel in the Archdiocese and to travellers by land, sea or air.
Lenten Alms:
The Lenten Alms collected this year have been earmarked for St. Pius X College, Goregaon – the Archdiocesan Seminary of Bombay.
Easter Duties:
Easter Duties would require that the faithful who have made their First Communion, should receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Paschal time, unless for a good reason, the precept is fulfilled at another time during the year (Canon 920). Besides, the faithful are reminded that those who have reached the age of discretion are bound to confess their grave sins at least once a year (Canon 989). In the Archdiocese of Bombay, the Easter Duties can be fulfilled this year between Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025.
In his message for Lent, Pope Francis has called us in this Jubilee Year to ‘journey together in hope.’ May we realize that all of us are pilgrims in this life, walking side-by-side, with trust in God and his great promise of eternal life.
May our Lenten observances build up our faith, help us grow in care and concern for others especially the needy, and renew our lives. In this way, we will radiate the transforming power of Christ's victory over sin and death to all of Creation.
I wish each one of you a grace-filled season of Lent.
February 25, 2025 ✠John Rodrigues Archbishop of Bombay