
Lent is a time of reflection, a time of repentance. It is a time to examine our hearts and begin anew, to strive to live more like Christ through acts of sacrifice and contemplate the profound mercy He offers us. As you observe Lent, we invite you to read this collection of reflections, prayers, and more centered around this penitential season.
Lent: Why We Do What We Do: Part I
Throughout the history of the Church, the season of Lent has been a time for Christians to manifest a sincere desire for conversion by examining their lives, repenting from sin, and striving to conform themselves more perfectly to Jesus. In this reflection, Msgr. Rossi explains a number of Lenten practices, including why people associate pancakes with Shrove Tuesday, why we place ashes on our foreheads, and why we “give up” things for Lent.
Lent: Why We Do What We Do: Part II
For this second installment of the Lent: Why We Do What We Do series, Father Weston discusses why the Sundays of Lent are not fast days, why Lent lasts for 40 days, why we associate purple with Lent, and more. We hope that this post will inform your devotion as you observe Lent and help you better prepare your heart for Easter and the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
Prayers for Lent
Did you know that during Lent, the seven penitential Psalms are prayed to repent and ask for God’s mercy? In this post, we invite you to reflect on these Psalms, along with a collection of other prayers to guide your times of contemplation, with excerpts from the Litany of the Precious Blood, the Anima Christi, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and more.
Reformation and Transformation: A Lenten Reflection from Monsignor Rossi
In Mark 1:15, Jesus gave us the command to “repent and believe in the Gospel.” There’s no better time than the penitential season of Lent to focus on repentance and reformation, but what exactly does that mean for the Christian? In this reflection from Msgr. Rossi, learn how God gives us the strength to begin anew and forsake our sin – and why it is only through his grace that we can truly be transformed.
Your Lent Questions, Answered
To an outsider, the practices of the Lenten season may admittedly seem curious: putting ash on one’s forehead, abstaining from meat on Fridays, or giving up something for 40 days. Yet each of these practices is rooted in the Bible and tradition, serving to orient our hearts and minds for the observance of Christ’s death and resurrection. In this post, Monsignor Walter Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, answers some of the most common questions surrounding Lent and its practices.