does the catholic church teach us not to praise God during Lent? Why? We do receive a lot of blessings everyday(the air we breath, the food we eat, etc) even on Lent but we cannot thank and praise Him during this season?

-- janeiro (janeiro_a@rocketmail.com), March 28, 2004

Answers

bump!

-- janeiro (janeiro_a@rocketmail.com), March 28, 2004.

Praise and worship is acceptable any time.

However, Lent is the season to reflect on the passion of Christ and our own human failings and sins.

It leads us to the reconciliation with God and the joyous Resurrection of Christ celebrated at Easter.

Lent is a season of renewal. There should be a time during the year where we take a step back and reflect with the ultimate idea and concept of improving our relationship with others and with God.

For me, Lent is a positive experience.

God bless,

-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), March 28, 2004.

Hi Janeiro,

I think we can and should thank and praise God everyday, even and especially during Lent.

However, the public recitation of the "Glory to God in the Highest" (i.e., the Gloria) that we recite as a people during Mass is removed from the Introductory Rites during Lent (and Advent, too I think). This is done because it is a time of penance as a community. It normally comes after the Penitential Rite ("I confess..") and the "Lord Have Mercy" (Kyrie Eleison). I think it is appropriate to skip in times of penance as a Church, like Lent. It helps to keep us focused on this time of reconciliation and remind us that we are totally undeserving of God's saving grace and Jesus' saving act on the cross.

In this way, our rejoicing of the Gloria together is even more meaningful at Easter in which we give thanks to God for the great works he has done through Christ our Lord and for his Resurrection.

-- Andy (aszmere@earthlink.net), March 29, 2004.

Janeiro, I realize you’re not referring to the actual feast of Easter but for those who may not be aware, Easter can be defined as a Christian celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This celebration of course takes place on Easter Sunday. What you are referring to is how the Church tones down the celebration at all masses during lent and the Easter vigil. In fact, the Church even prohibits the celebration of mass on Good Friday, the day we remember in a special way, Christ’s most holy sacrifice.

In Andy’s reply to you, he used the word “public” and he is quite right in stating certain public displays at lent are removed from the mass. It is only removed from the liturgies during lent Janeiro and if you feel inclined to acknowledge your everyday blessings and wish to thank your Creator for them, the Church does not prohibit you from doing so. By all means, go ahead and personally thank God for all your blessings in private prayer. The Church has never instructed you to stop praying. It’s the public display of joy during a sombre time She wants to downplay.

Prior to the reading of the gospel it is normal throughout the rest of the year to sing the “Alleluia”. This word is a Hebrew one that expresses joy at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that He lives on. During lent, during the re-enactment of Jesus’ passion, the joy of His rising has not been realized yet and we, like the early Christians are anxious and worried and at times in mourning concerning the outcome of Christ’s efforts for love of us.

Janeiro, our spirituality, as a community, during lent doesn’t lessen but rather is re-focussed on the events that led up to the great moment of the resurrection on Easter morning. True spirituality, as a community, doesn’t always involve celebrating with joyous song and dance. Sometimes true spirituality involves an inner examination of one’s own soul as a member of that community and what it was within us that caused Jesus to do what He had to do. We share in a common guilt for putting Jesus on the Cross through the commission of sins. In acknowledging this, we grow as a people of God.

As Catholics the Church asks us to walk along with Jesus and join Him in His passion and death to gain a appreciation of His love for us. This is why the Church encourages us to pray the Stations of The Cross during lent more than at any other time of the year. In doing so, in following Christ along His path to Calvary during lent, it is not a pleasant time, or a time for singing or celebration but it is necessary for our growth spiritually, to gain a full dimension of it. The Church in Her wisdom has realized that there can be no glorious celebration of Easter Sunday morning, without first acknowledging the passion and death of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and so, as the body of Christ, as the bride of Christ, as a community, She feels we must first acknowledge and appreciate what Jesus endured for us.

In holding back our celebration until Easter morning, I’ve always gotten more out of Easter Sunday mass. It’s quite a thrill to be able to sing out the wonders of such a Saviour after having contemplated all that He gave up for love of us and acknowledge His glorious resurrection which was purchased for us at such a high cost.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), March 29, 2004.