Over the past three bulletin columns, we’ve talked about the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. But one other important thing that’s associated with this season is penance, where we increase our efforts to turn away from sin so that we may turn towards Christ more wholeheartedly. Our practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving have a penitential aspect to them, which makes perfect sense because Lent is a season focused on penance.
Why the heavy emphasis on sin and conversion during this season? Is Lent just a time to feel really bad about ourselves and how un-holy we are? Absolutely not, because penance is not a bad thing! All of us are on a lifelong journey of conversion, and part of the conversion process involves rejecting things that pull us away from God. So the goal of penance isn’t to beat ourselves up for our sinfulness. Rather, it’s about dying to sin so that we can be more fully alive in Christ. After all, Easter is the most joyful celebration of the year, and diving into the penitential season of Lent is a great way to be ready to receive the fullness of joy that the Lord offers us at Easter.
We observe a spirit of penance in many ways during Lent. As I mentioned, prayer, fasting and almsgiving are all ways of trying to atone for our sins while building habits of virtue. Lent is also an ideal time to go to confession, even if you haven’t been in awhile. But whatever penitential practices you have committed to this Lent, always remember why you’re doing them, and what fruit you hope to gain. Because penance helps us to reject any part of our lives that is not Christ-like, so that our communion with Christ can grow deeper. And that’s why a good Lent not only prepares us for Easter; it prepares us for heaven, as well.
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