The Purpose of Lent

At the end of her autobiography, Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), the French atheist and Marxist-feminist author of The Second Sex (1949), pondered her death, and wrote these terribly sad words:

“I loathe the thought of annihilating myself quite as much now as I ever did. I think with sadness of all the books I’ve read, all the places I’ve seen, all the knowledge I’ve amassed and that will be no more. All the music, all the paintings, all the culture, so many places: and suddenly nothing... Nothing will have taken place. I can still see the hedge of hazel trees flurried by the wind and the promises with which I fed my beating heart while I stood gazing at the gold mine at my feet: a whole life to live. The promises have all been kept. And yet, turning an incredulous gaze towards that young and credulous girl, I realize with stupor how much I was gypped.”

“Gypped”? What did she mean by this? It seems she sensed that there was more, more than this finite, material life on Earth. The words of St. Augustine come to mind: “Thou hast made us for Thyself, Oh God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” The lyrics of an Isaac Watts’ hymn come to mind: “In vain we lavish out our lives to gather empty wind; the choicest blessings earth can yield will starve a hungry mind.”  Similarly, Fr. Tilmann Pesch, S.J., in The Christian Philosophy of Life, writes “The one true happiness this earthly pilgrimage offers lies in the effort to correspond with the supreme end (possession of God in the beatific vision) of our being. They indeed know happiness who are wholly possessed by the thought of God, and with whom this thought dominates every earthly interest.”  (p. 69)

Experiencing this happiness that lies in “the effort to correspond with the supreme end of our being,” is the purpose of Lent. That end is eternal love and life with the Holy Trinity, the angels and saints. And how do we reach our supreme end? Jesus told us, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

On Ash Wednesday, as the cross is traced on our foreheads, we are called to ponder our death: “Remember, you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” In other words, keep in mind one’s eternal goal: Heaven! Be a saint! The ways prescribed for doing this are prayer, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving, self-denial, the sacraments… More specifically, this means:

Prayer --- beginning a routine of daily prayer, or adding morning or evening prayers, praying the Rosary, praying before the Blessed Sacrament, reading the Bible, or spiritual reading, such as The Imitation of Christ.

Fasting --- having only one full meal and two small meals with no snacking in between.

Abstinence --- having no meat on Ash Wednesday, and Fridays during Lent.

Almsgiving --- giving of one’s time or money, or works of charity, such as a call or visit to someone who might appreciate hearing from you, or providing a helping hand.

Self-denial --- This can mean forgoing sweets, alcohol, time-wasting internet surfing, immoral television, music, videos etc., not becoming impatient in the check-out line, or with the crazy reckless driver, or complaining, or vilifying those with whom we strongly disagree, but loving them.

Sacraments --- going to Confession, Mass and receiving Jesus in a state of grace.

Fr. Baker says that “The purpose of Lent is conversion of heart--- turning away from creatures and turning to God… The spiritual purpose of these acts of self-denial is to dispose ourselves to a more fruitful reception of the graces Jesus merited for us through His passion and death on the cross. Lent reminds us that we have been redeemed and elevated to a supernatural level by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, God made man, and that He suffered for us because He loves us.” (Preach the Word, pp. 50-55)

If we, by living rightly, prepare for the awe-filled, eternity-defining moment of death, we can anticipate it, not with “loathing,” but with confidence, joy, and hope, like St. Paul: “…the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith,” (2 Tim 4:6) or like St. Therese of Lisieux, saying, “I am not dying, I am entering into life.”

If St. Michael Broadcasting helps you know your faith better, to increase your desire to love God and neighbor more, and do His will, we are fulfilling our purpose. In order to continue doing so, we need your help. Please support SMB through your prayers, by telling others, and if you are able, a financial contribution.