You may not realize it, but we are in the midst of a very important season for Catholics: Lent. You may have heard of Lent at some point in your life. You may know that the season starts with Ash Wednesday, the day that we walk around with ashen crosses on our foreheads. You may know that it is common for us to make “Lenten vows,” which involves us giving something up for the season. Finally, you may have heard that we don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent. But do you know why this is such an important season or why we engage in these important traditions?
Lent is a 40-day season during which Catholics prepare for Easter Sunday, the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead to new life. There are three traditional pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and abstinence, and almsgiving.
While Catholics are called to participate in these at all times, there is a particular focus on them during Lent (it’s like studying – we should do it all the time but may do extra right before a big exam). Fasting and abstinence help Catholics prepare for Easter by serving as a symbolic reminder of suffering in the world. Almsgiving reminds Catholics to follow in Christ’s footsteps by doing what we can to alleviate suffering and giving back to those in need.
The practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays is one of the oldest traditions in the Catholic Church dating back to the first century. This tradition honors Christ’s crucifixion, which took place on a Friday. Some people wonder why Catholics eat fish when they say that they don’t eat “meat.” One reason is that in the spirit of abstinence, Catholics refrain from meat, typically the most expensive part of a meal, while fish, historically, was affordable and available to all.
In honor of this Lenten season, St. John’s Catholic Community is hosting its Third Annual Fish Fry on Friday, March 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. and everyone is invited! The event costs $9 (proceeds support the St. John’s community) and is located at the church on the corner of 8th and Lovejoy. This is an excellent opportunity to share a delicious meal, participate in and learn about a longstanding Catholic tradition and meet some new friends.