Season of Lent: Let us journey together in hope

Date posted on March 3, 2025

What is Lent?

Lent is a yearly celebration of the Church in preparation for Easter. Lent has two major purposes: It recalls or prepares for Baptism, and emphasizes a spirit of penance. Through forty days of closer attention to God’s Word and of more fervent prayer, we are prepared to celebrate the Paschal Mystery.

During Lent, the reminder of baptism already received, as well as the theme of repentance, renew the entire community along with those being prepared to celebrate the paschal mystery, in which each of the elect will share through the sacraments of initiation. (RCIA 125, Ad gentes, 14)

For those already baptized Lent is a time of preparation to celebrate the paschal mystery through reminders of our baptism and penitential practices. (GNLYC 27)

Lent is a privileged time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This season provides an opportunity to renew and deepen our relationship with Jesus, and to renew the choices we make, so that we might live as he taught.

When is Lent?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, and continues until the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening, on April 17th, 2025. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.

Our Annual Pilgrimage of Lent

In his message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis advises: “This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs.”

“Let us all walk in the same direction, tending towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.”