The practice of austerity in the church has always been considered important in Christian spirituality. It was Jesus Christ who taught us the need of prayer and fasting to overcome evil and sin when he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, before starting his earthly ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.
The church therefore sets us aside every year a period of 40 days of austerity known as Lent, commencing Ash Wednesday to Good Friday, during which period Christians are expected to emulate the example of Christ by undertaking acts of penance, fasting, and other forms of renunciation, forgiveness, charity and self-sacrifice, to atone for sins committed.
The theme of penance is also forcibly practised by the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday unlike the early days of sitting in sack cloth and ashes.
As pilgrims on a journey to our heavenly abode, Lent offers us a golden opportunity to stop at life’s traffic signal to reflect on how we have undertaken our earthly mission over the years. It is also a time to give up our sinful ways and a time to repent and return to the Lord and to the path of righteousness.
