Last week I mentioned that we have the dates for our parish Lenten Mission: March 27th, 28th, and 29th. Each day the mission begins at 6:30pm. On Tuesday, March 28th at 5:30pm we will have two priests hearing confession prior to the talk. Finally on Wednesday, March 29th in addition to the talk, we will also have Eucharistic Adoration. The theme this year is: “Become What You Believe.” Each night of the mission details a different part of the mystery of God enabling us to become like God. Now for the big reveal: the mission preacher is none other than my former pastor (and boss) Fr. Bernard Healey. In addition to being a zealous pastor he is also a dynamic preacher that comes from his many years as a priest. I hope that he does not bring up too many stories of my time as his associate priest!
Every year we have an opportunity to grow in our knowledge and devotion to Christ and His Church. The Lenten Mission is one part of the puzzle along with prayer, fasting and almsgiving to accomplish just that. I look forward to hearing Fr. Healey’s words. I hope that you can join us and invite your friends and family members. Part of our mission as Catholics is to be fellow Good Shepherds with Christ; bringing back the lost sheep. Perhaps there is someone you know that has been waiting for the invitation to come back.
In other news, someone asked me the other day if Sundays were a part of Lent. As you know, Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday. Sundays are technically part of Lent. Liturgically speaking the Sundays of Lent give us the foundation of all Lenten liturgy building up to Holy Week. But more importantly, do we need to fast on Sundays?
The Code of Canon Law number 1247 states: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord ’s Day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.” Since the beginning the Church has viewed Sundays as a day of celebration and remembrance of the Resurrection. Yet, the Church has never required fasting on Sundays, and the only abstaining on Sundays, as we saw in the Code, is to “abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God.” At the same time, prayer, fasting and almsgiving are essential spiritual practices that enable us to properly worship God.
You can't worship God if you are attached to food/drink/possessions after all. So it would seem implied as part of the worship of God even on Sundays to fast, pray and give alms (after all we fast for an hour before mass, we pray during the Mass, and we give alms during the Mass). So my answer is a combination: Yes Sunday is a Feast Day, wherein you may forego your more intense prayer, fasting and almsgiving of Lent, while maintainingyour regular prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Being a part of Lent, they serve to characterize the rest of the week, our meditations, and our focus. You may choose to continue your more intense prayer, fasting, and almsgiving of Lent on Sunday, but that is up to you.