For many people Lent is mostly associated with practices like abstaining from meat on Fridays and fasting on given dates. It is meant to be a time of repentance to develop a better relationship with God. This a time of preparation and an opportunity to go deeper with God. But with the challenges brought by the pandemic, will we be able to celebrate it the usual way?

            There are three main things people focus on during Lent, these are prayer, fasting and giving, or charity. When we pray during Lent, we ask for God’s forgiveness, and it is also about turning away from our sins and receiving God’s mercy and love. Fasting, is a quite common practice that many people do during Lent. The idea of this is giving up something that’s a regular part of life, like food as sacrifice. Through fasting, we develop spiritual strength, including resisting temptation, self-mastery, and discipline. And another practice that people do during lent is giving money or doing something good for others as a way to respond to God’s grace. But with the pandemic, doing this will be particularly challenging. Although, you don’t need to give money specifically but to do something good for others. One way we can do this is to encourage our family member and friends to also do the practices during lent. Through this, we will be an instrument in bringing others closer to God.

            So, don’t let the pandemic stop you from celebrating the Lenten Season, and doing something good to others. Even though we might not have enough money, this should not hinder us from doing good. We must remember that we can also do good this Lenten Season by being an instrument to bring others closer to God.

References:
Ash Wednesday ushers in Lenten season in Philippines amid pandemic. (2018). Yahoo.com. https://ph.news.yahoo.com/ash-wednesday-ushers-in-lenten-season-in-philippines-amid-pandemic-065000414.html