“Lent, a Season of Joy”

By

Robert John Colon

BEGINNING

1. “Lent, a season of joy?” This might be asked with uncertainty as a response to the claim that Lent, which is a season of penance and self-denial, (1) (actions which might need to be defined) is a season of joy. But this season is joyful (2).  An Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Paul VI says the disciple invariably does remain, in his innermost being, in joy, since he is in communion with the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son (3). If the disciple is always in joy, then for the disciple every season is a season of joy. But what kind of joy do we have in mind? Is the continual joy of the disciple a sentiment? Sentiments do not stay always (4). Is not the continual joy of the disciple a joy different from mere sentiments? Is not the continual joy of the disciple a joy that is deep and which has as its source communion with the Father and Jesus (5)? Also, can’t the disciple have a joy that is deep and which can have as a cause or does have as a cause all this: to know that God is close and not distant, compassionate and not indifferent, not aloof but a merciful Father Who does follow us lovingly with respect for the freedom we have (6)?

2. Lent is a time of pilgrimage in which He Who is the fountain of mercy accompanies you and me through the desolation of our poverty (7). Is not this a cause of a joy that is deep? But the joy that is the disciple’s might seem weak compared to passing intense pleasures. But let us continue to approach Christ, Who suffers with life’s injured (8). And if we turn away from Christ and choose only pleasure and not His joy, let us return to Christ, trusting that God is merciful and compassionate. Is not the return of a sinner to God also a cause of joy, of more joy than the joy over ninety-nine people who are righteous and do not need repentance (cf. Luke 15: 7)? And does not repentance relate to penance and self-denial, which, you might say, are characteristic of Lent? Let us think about penance and self-denial.

PART 1: PENANCE AND SELF-DENIAL

What does penance mean?

3. A Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II says penance is a conversion that does pass from the heart to acts and then to the whole life of the Christian (9).

What does self-denial mean?

4. “Self-denial” can be understood as “the act of denying or refusing to satisfy one’s desires”.

Is Christianity about self-hatred?

5. Self-denial was taught to us by Jesus Christ when He said that if anyone wishes to come after Him, let him deny himself and take up his cross day-to-day and follow Him (10). These words and those words of the divine Teacher which, it might seem, show the love of life connected to the loss of it and the hatred of one’s life connected to eternal life, (cf. John 12: 25) might seem to be words that give credibility in the notion that Christianity is about self-hatred.

6. It might seem that Christianity demands that we care about our own good as little as possible. But what is our good? It might seem that our good is feeling good and a minimum of pain. But now let us ask a question that might not make us feel good. “What if something that makes us feel good is a sin?” Man’s nature is wounded by sin (11). When it is mortal, sin turns man away from his ultimate end and his beatitude, Who is God (12). When we think of what sin does, don’t we see refusing to sin as something for our good? But is it not true that, at least sometimes, refusing to sin is self-denial, which, as it says above in number four, can be understood as “the act of denying or refusing to satisfy one’s desires”? Wouldn’t an attitude that says that pleasure should always be our goal perhaps consider self-denial as “self-hatred”? But self-denial as refusing to sin when we want to might be called good “self-love”. We might say that a “good self-love” is good self-concern, not a morbid or looking out for only me concern, but, if we can say, a looking out for the good that God wants for me.   

Why deny myself that which is not bad?

7. It might seem easy, to us, to see saying “no” to sin as not self-hatred. But, how do we see saying “no” to that which is not bad? Even if we do not see it as self-hatred, saying “no” to that which is not bad might seem odd. But saying “no” to that which is not bad can be good for me. With bodily and inner fasting, the Christian is preparing himself to follow Christ and to be His devoted witness in any circumstance (13). And isn’t it true that fasting liberates us, in a healthy way, from the concerns of this world in order to discover the life that does come from above (14)? Not on bread alone does man live (cf. Deuteronomy 8: 3, Matthew 4: 4, and Luke 4: 4).

Are penance and self-denial the same?

8. We might ask if “penance” and “self-denial” have the same meaning. At this point, maybe it is good to repeat what was said above in number three. It was said: A Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II says penance is a conversion that does pass from the heart to acts and then to the whole life of the Christian (15). If penance is a transformation that does pass from the heart to acts, doesn’t this mean that inner transformation is foremost (16)? An Encyclical of Pope John XXIII says our initial need is for inner repentance (17). Above in number one it was said: Sentiments do not stay always (18). A Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II says repentance is far from being a feeling that is superficial but a genuine overturning of the soul (19).

9. Inner transformation, which you might call “the first step in penance”, might be self-denial. Inner transformation might even seem more difficult than outer acts of penance. Penance of any kind, inner penance or outer acts expressing inner penance, might be for a person refusing to satisfy his or her desires. What are the ways that the inner penance of the Christian can be expressed? The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the Fathers and Scripture insist above all on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (20).

Why is doing penance necessary?

10. Sometimes we might ask: Why is it a duty to do penance? An Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul VI says participation in Christ’s sufferings is what the duty of doing penance is motivated above all by (21).

11. A first step toward obtaining forgiveness and winning eternal salvation is doing penance for one’s sins, says an Encyclical of Pope John XXIII (22). We might say that Christ, Who is without sin, did something “penitential” when His most precious blood was poured out. An Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II says each man is called to partake in that suffering through which the Redemption was carried out (23). The Redemption, carried out through satisfactory love, does remain ever open to all love expressed in mortal or human suffering (24).

PART 2: SUFFERING

Could the Redemption have been carried out without suffering?

12. We might ask: Could the Redemption have been carried out with suffering absent? So as to win back His creature’s love, the heavenly Father did accept to pay a very high price: His only begotten Son’s blood (25). If God, in Himself infinitely perfect and blessed, (26) seeks to win back His creature’s love, isn’t that for the creature’s good? If God asks for our love, isn’t that love, love that cares about the other’s good? Indeed, what answer is there to the question “Why the Cross for redemption?” other than love? Before the riddle of the Cross, we might have no doubt in God’s love for us, but one might almost question the Father’s love for the Son. But let us remember that Jesus freely did offer Himself (27). And Jesus, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, makes clear the love of the Father which He does receive (28).

Why is there suffering at all?

13. In spite of what has been said, we might ask: If God’s love is omnipotent, why has there been and why is there suffering? And it’s necessary, Pope John Paul II said, to recognize that the problem of suffering is a mystery which does perplex human reason (29). John Paul II said God’s plans don’t coincide with man’s plans; he said God’s plans are immeasurably better, but often unfathomable to the human mind (30). Perhaps we find comfort in the words of 1 Corinthians, those words that say for God’s foolishness is wiser than men, and that say His weakness is more strong than men (cf. 1 Corinthians 1: 25). But when a person is suffering, he or she might not find a lot of comfort in those words or other words.

What is the right way to handle suffering?

14. Really, isn’t suffering difficult to deal with in our lives and in conversation? Don’t people sometimes want to find comfort when suffering and want to say something comforting to someone who is suffering? Sometimes it might be best to not try to say something comforting, but just to pray and share in the suffering of the other. Suffering with life’s injured Christ does (31). Let us turn to Christ when we suffer. Let us draw near to Him with our unrest, our uncertainty, our weakness, and even our sinfulness (32).

CONCLUSION

15. As we come near the close of this writing, let us remember the Holy Spirit. A Message of Pope John Paul II says through the Holy Spirit’s consoling action, the contradiction that appears to exist between joy and suffering is overcome (33). Let us also remember Mary. Let us ask her who is Comforter of those afflicted (cf. Litany of Loreto) to help us during Lent and always. Let us pray to her for those who are poor and suffering, and for all people. Let us prepare to meet the Risen Lord!

First completed on February 21, 2007.

NOTES

(1) Cf. Pope Paul VI, Message for Lent 1973.

(2) Cf. Preface of Lent I of The Order of Mass.

(3) Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete in Domino, III.

(4) Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est, number 17.

(5) Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete in Domino, III.

(6) Cf. John Paul II, Angelus, 14 December 2003, number 2.

(7) Cf. Benedict XVI, Message for Lent 2006.

(8) Cf. John Paul II, Message for the 13th World Day of the Sick, number 5.

(9) Cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance, number 4.

(10) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Encyclical, Paenitentiam Agere, number 36 and cf. Luke 9: 23, which is quoted in number 36 of the Encyclical (see note 36 of the Encyclical, which indicates Luke 9: 23).

(11) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1872.

(12) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1855.

(13) Cf. John Paul II, Angelus, 2 March 2003, number 2.

(14) Cf. Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy. Principles and Guidelines, number 126.

(15) Cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance, number 4.

(16) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1430 and cf. Pope John XXIII, Encyclical, Paenitentiam Agere, number 28.

(17) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Encyclical, Paenitentiam Agere, number 28.

(18) Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est, number 17.

(19) Cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance, number 26.

(20) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1434 and cf. Tobit 12: 8 and Matthew 6: 1-18, which are indicated in note or footnote 31 (in that part of the Catechism) which relates to number 1434 of the Catechism.

(21) Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution, Paenitemini, Chapter II.

(22) Cf. Pope John XXIII, Encyclical, Paenitentiam Agere, number 1.

(23) Cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Doloris, number 19.

(24) Cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Doloris, number 24.

(25) Cf. Benedict XVI, Message for Lent 2007.

(26) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1.

(27) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 621.

(28) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 1823.

(29) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, 24 March 1999, number 2.

(30) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, 24 March 1999, number 2.

(31) Cf. John Paul II, Message for the 13th World Day of the Sick, number 5.

(32) Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical, Redemptor Hominis, number 10.

(33) Cf. John Paul II, Message for the 13th World Day of the Sick, number 7.