catholic's LENTEN SEASON

The penitential season of Lent is the period of forty days beginning on Ash Wednesday. It is the season of the Church that commemorates the forty days Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness before He began His public ministry of preaching for repentance. Six Sundays are within the season: the last, Passion Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Holy Thursday begins the Triduum(3days) before Easter Sunday which includes Good Friday and Black Saturday. The Church has devoted a period of time to prayer and fasting as a preparation for the liturgical commemoration of the Passion of Christ and the celebration of the feast of the Resurrection, Easter Sunday, since very early times. The word "Lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "Lencten", referring to the lengthening of days in the spring. In Latin, still the official language of the Catholic Church, the entire season is known as Quadrigesima, or "forty". The season of Lent calls Christians to imitate the forty days of prayer and fasting of Jesus.
The period of forty days is significant. When God punished the sinfulness of mankind by the flood, the rain lasted forty days and forty nights. Moses
led the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt, but they wondered forty years in the desert before reaching the promise land. Elijah fasted and sought God's will on Mount Horeb for forty days, Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh in forty days.

On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the first joy of the season, as we celebrate Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves before him. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, with the greatest tragedy and sorrow of the year.

Jesus' triumphant return to Jerusalem is only one side of the story.

By now many of the Jews are filled with hate for Our Lord. They want to see him stoned, calling Him a blasphemer, especially after offering proof of His Divinity during a winter visit to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Dedication.

After this, Jesus went to Perea, where he was summoned to Bethany. There he raised Lazarus from the dead, a miracle which wins Him such renown among certain Pharisees that they decided finally to end His life.

Jesus took refuge at Ephrem returning six days before Passover to Bethany, triumphantly entering Jerusalem. That evening, He leaves Jerusalem and returns Monday. He spent time with Gentiles in the Temple, and on Wednesday left for the Mount of Olives. Here he foretold the apostles the events of the next several days, including His impending death.

He returned to Jerusalem on Thursday, to share the Last Supper with His apostles. He was subsequently arrested and tried. He was crucified at Calvary on Friday, outside the gates of Jerusalem.

He was buried the same day, and arose three days later, on Easter Sunday.

All of this is done by our Lord for forgiveness of our sins, and for life everlasting with Him.

God so loved us, that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us, so that our sins maybe forgiven.