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Its Meaning and Purpose

From the Liturgical Year

By

DOM GUERANGER

New York

THE PAULIST PBES^
401 West 59th Street



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LENT
Its Meaning and Purpose

Compiled and Edited from the Liturgical Year

of Dom Gueranger

By

JOHN J. BURKE, C.S.P.

New York
THE PAULIST PRESS
401 West 59th Street



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LENT: ITS MEANING AND PURPOSE

THE SPIRIT AND PRACTICE OF LENT.

HE Church has made this sacred season of
Lent a time of recollection and penance, in

preparation for the greatest of all her Feasts

;

she would, therefore, bring into it everything

that could excite the faith of her children, and en-

courage them to go through the arduous work of atone-

ment for their sins. Let us learn from the Liturgy in

what light the Church views her children during these

forty days. She considers them as an immense army,

fighting, day and night, against their spiritual enemies.

On Ash Wednesday she calls Lent a Christian warfare.

Yes, in order that we may have that newness of life,

which will make us worthy to sing once more our

Alleluia, we must conquer our three enemies, the devil,

the flesh and the world. We are fellow-combatants with

our Jesus, for He, too, submitted to the triple temptation,

suggested to Him by Satan in person. Therefore, we

must have on our armor, and watch unceasingly. And

whereas it is of the utmost importance that our hearts

be spirited and brave, the Church gives us a war-song,

of heaven’s own making, which can fire even cowards

with hope of victory and confidence in God’s help: it

is the Ninetieth Psalm : “ He that dwelleth in the help

of the Most High.” She inserts the whole of it in the

Mass of the First Sunday of Lent, and every day in-

troduces several of its verses in the Ferial Office.

She there tells us to rely on the protection, wherewith

our Heavenly Father covers us as with a shield; to hope

under the shelter of His wings ; to have confidence in Him,



4 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

for He will deliver us from the snare of the hunter,

who had robbed us of the holy liberty of the children oi

God; to rely upon the succor of the holy Angels, who

are our brothers, to whom Our Lord ‘‘ hath given charge

that they keep us in all our ways,’’ and who, when our

Jesus permitted Satan to tempt Him, were the adoring

witnesses of His combat, and approached Him after His

victory, proffering to Him their service and homage.

Let us get well into us these sentiments wherewith the

Church would have us be inspired
;

and, during our six

weeks’ campaign, let us often repeat this admirable can-

ticle, which so fully describes what the soldiers of

Christ should be and feel in this season of the great

spiritual warfare.

During these forty days of penance, which seem so

long to our poor nature, we shall not be deprived of

the company of our Jesus. And now, let us look at the

Divine Object that is before us. It is our Emmanuel;

the same Jesus, but not under the form of the sweet

Babe Whom we adored in His crib. He is grown to the

fullness of the age of man, and wears the semblance of

a sinner, trembling and humbling Himself before the

sovereign majesty of His Father Whom we have of-

fended, and to Whom He now offers Himself as the

Victim of propitiation. He loves us with a brother’s

love; and seeing that the season for doing penance

has begun. He comes to cheer us on by His presence

and His Own example. We are going to spend forty
days in fasting and abstinence—Jesus, Who is innocence
itself, goes through the same penance. We have sep-
arated ourselves, for a time, from the pleasures and

vanities of the world. Jesus withdraws from the com-

pany and sight of men. We intend to assist at the
divine services more assiduously, and pray more fer-



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 5

vently than at other times
;
Jesus spends forty days and

forty nights in praying, like the humblest suppliant;

and all this for us. We are going to think over’our past

sins, and bewail them in bitter grief; Jesus suffers for

them and weeps over them in the silence of the desert,

as though He Himself had committed them.

No sooner had He received baptism from the hands

of St. John, than the Holy Ghost led Him to the desert.

The time had come for His public mission to the

world
;
He would begin by teaching us a lesson of im-

mense importance. He leaves the saintly Precursor and

the admiring multitude, that had seen the divine Spirit

descend upon Plim, and heard the Father’s voice pro-

claiming Him to be His Beloved Son; He leaves them

and goes into the desert. Not far from the Jordan

there rises a rugged mountain, which has received, in

after ages, the name of Quarantana. It commands a

view of the fertile plain of Jericho, the Jordan, and the

Dead Sea. It is within a cave of this wild rock that

the Son of God now enters. His only companions being

the dumb animals who have chosen this same for their

own shelter. He has no food wherewith to satisfy

the pangs of hunger; the barren rock can yield Him

no drink; His only bed must be of stone. Here He is

to spend forty days; after which He will permit the

Angels to visit Him and bring Him food.

Thus does Our Saviour go before us on the holy path

of Lent. He has borne all its fatigues and hardships,

so that we, when called upon to tread the narrow way

of our Lenten Penance, might have His example where-

with to silence the excuses, and sophisms, and repug-

nances of self-love and pride. The lesson is here too

plainly given not to be understood; the law of doing

penance for sin is here too clearly shown, and we can-



6 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

not plead ignorance : let us honestly accept the teaching

and practise it. Jesus leaves the Desert where He had

spent the forty days, and begins His preaching with

these words which He addresses to all men : Do

penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’' (Matt,

iv. 17). Let us not harden our hearts to this invita-

tion, lest there be fulfilled in us the terrible threat con-

tained in those other words of our Redeemer : “ Unless

ye shall do penance, ye shall perish ” (Luke xiii. 3).

Now, penance consists in contrition of the soul, and

in mortification of the body; these two parts are es-

sential to it. The soul has willed the sin
;
the body has

frequently cooperated in its commission. Moreover, man

is composed of both soul and body
;

both, then, should

pay homage to their Creator. The body is to share

with the soul either the delights of heaven or the tor-

ments of hell; there cannot, therefore, be any thorough

Christian life, oi* any earnest penance, where the body

does not take part, in both, with the soul.

But it is the soul which gives reality to penance.

The Gospel teaches this by the examples it holds out to

us of the Prodigal Son, of Magdalen, of Zaccheus, and

of St. Peter. The soul, then, must be resolved to give

up every sin
;

it must heartily grieve over those it

has committed; it must hate sin; it must shun the

occasions of sin. The Sacred Scriptures have a word

for this inward disposition, which has been adopted by

the Christian world, and admirably expresses the state

of the soul that has turned away from its sins: this

word is conversion. The Christian should, therefore,

during Lent, study to excite himself to this repentance

of heart, and look upon it as the essential foundation of

all his Lenten exercises. Nevertheless, he must remem-

ber that this spiritual penance would be a mere delusion.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 7

were he not to practise mortification of the body. Let

him study the example given him by his Saviour, Who

grieves, indeed, and weeps over our sins; but He also ex-

piates them by His bodily sufferings. Hence it is that the

Church^—the infallible interpreter of her Divine Master’s
will—tells us that the repentance of our heart will not
be accepted by God, unless it be accompanied by fasting

' and abstinence.

Let, then, the children of the Church courageously

observe the Lenten practices of penance. Peace of con-

science is essential to Christian life
;

and yet it is

promised to none but truly penitent souls. Lost inno-

cence is to be regained by the humble confession of the

sin, when it is accompanied by the absolution of the

priest; but let the faithful be on their guard against the

dangerous error, which would persuade them that they

have nothing to do when once pardoned. Let them re-

member the solemn warning given them by the Holy

Ghost in the Sacred Scriptures : “ Be not without fear

about sin forgiven” (Ecclus. v. 5). Our confidence of

our having been forgiven should be in proportion to the

change or conversion of our heart: the greater our

present detestation of our past sins, and the more earnest

our desire to do penance for them for the rest of our

lives, the better founded is our confidence that they have

been pardoned. ‘‘ Man knoweth not,” as the same holy

volume assures us, “ whether he be worthy of love or

hatred” (Eccles. ix. i)
;

but he that keeps up within

him the spirit of penance, has every reason to hope that

God loves him.

But the courageous observance of the Church’s precept

of fasting and abstaining during Lent must be accompanied

by those two other eminently good works, to which God

so frequently urges us in the Scripture
:

prayer and



8 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

almsdeeds. Just as under the term fasting the Church

comprises all kinds of mortification
;

so under the word

prayer she includes all those exercises of piety whereby

the soul holds intercourse with its God. More fre-

quent attendance at the services of the Church, assisting

daily at Mass, spiritual reading, meditation upon eternal

truths and the Passion, hearing sermons, and, above

all, the reception of the sacraments of Penance and

Holy Eucharist—these are the chief means whereby the
faithful should offer to God the homage of prayer dur-

ing this holy season.

Let us remember the counsel given by the Archangel

Raphael to Tobias. He was on the point of taking leave

of his holy family, and returning to heaven; and these

were his words : Prayer is good with fasting and alms,

more than to lay up treasures of gold: for alms de-

livereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth

away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlast-

ing’’ (Tob. xii. 8, 9). Equally strong is the recommen-

dation given to this virtue by the Book of Ecclesias-

ticus :
‘‘ Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms re-

sisteth sins” (Ecclus. iii. 33). And again: “Shut up

alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help

for thee against all evil” {Ibid,, xxix. 15). The Chris-

tian should keep these consoling promises ever before his

mind, but more especially during the season of Lent.

The rich man should show the poor, whose whole year

is a fast, that there is a time when even he has his

self-imposed privations. The faithful observance of Lent

naturally produces a saving; let that saving be given to

Lazarus. Nothing, surely, could be more opposed to the

spirit of this holy season than keeping up a table as

rich and delicately provided, as at other periods of the

year when God permits us to use all the comforts com-



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 9

patible with the means He has given us. But how

thoroughly Christian is it, that during these days of

penance and charity, the life of the poor man should be

made more comfortable, in proportion as that of the

rich shares in the hardships and privations of his suf-

fering brother throughout the world! Poor and rich

would then present themselves, with all the beauty of

fraternal love upon them, at the Divine Banquet of the

Paschal feast, to which our Risen Jesus will invite us

after these forty days are over.

There is one means more whereby we are to secure

to ourselves the great graces of Lent; it is the spirit

of retirement and separation from the world. Our or-

dinary life, that is, such as it is during the rest of the

year, should all be made to pay tribute to the holy sea-

son of penance; otherwise the salutary impression pro-

duced on us by the holy ceremony of Ash Wednesday

will soon be effaced. The Christian ought, therefore, to

forbid himself, during Lent, all the vain amusements,

entertainments, and parties of the world he lives in.

The world may rebel as much as it will against the

sentence, but the sentence is irrevocable: “Unless ye do

penance, ye shall all perish.’’ It is God’s Own word.

Say, if you will, that few nowadays give ear to it; but

for that very reason many are lost. They, too, who

hear this word must not forget the warnings given them

by our Divine Saviour Himself, in the Gospel read .to

us on Sexagesima Sunday. He told us how some of the

seed is trodden down by the passers-by, or eaten by the

fowls of the air; how some falls on rocky soil and gets

parched
;
and how, again, some is choked by thorns. Let

us be wise and spare no pains to become that good

ground, which not only receives the divine seed, but

brings forth a hundredfold for the Easter harvest.



lo Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

ASH WEDNESDAY.

ESTERDAY the world was busy in its pleasures
but this morning, all is changed. The solemn an-

nouncement, spoken of by the Prophet, has been pro-

claimed in Sion (see the Epistle of to-day’s Mass) the

solemn fast of Lent, the season of expiation, the ap-

proach of the great anniversaries of our Redemption.

Let us, then, rouse ourselves, and prepare for the

spiritual combat.

But, in this battling of the spirit against the flesh we

need good armor. Our Holy Mother, the Church, knows

how much we need it; and therefore does she summon

us to enter into the House of God, that she may arm us for

the holy contest. What this armor is we know- from St.

Paul, who thus describes it : Have your loins girt about

with Truth, and having on the Breastplate of Justice.

And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel

of peace. In all things taking the Shield of Faith

Take unto you the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword

of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. vi.

14-17). The very Prince of the Apostles, too, addresses

these solemn words to us : Christ having suffered in the

flesh, be ye also armed with the same thought ” ( i Peter

iv. i). We are entering to-day upon a long campaign

of the warfare spoken of by the Apostles : forty days of

battle—forty days of penance. We shall not turn
cowards if our souls can but be impressed with the con-

viction, that the battle and the penance must be gone

through.

Now and for all the days to come we are determined

to persevere in loyalty to God, and in order to do so

we must humble ourselves, accepting His word, Thou

art dust and into dust thou shalt return” ( Gen. iii. 19),



IILent: Its Meaning and Purpose

and look on this present life as a path to the grave. The

path may be long or short; but to the tomb it must

lead us. Remembering this, we shall see all things in

their true light. We shall love that God, Who has*"

designed to set His heart on us, notwithstanding our be-

ing creatures of death : we shall hate, with deepest con-

trition, the insolence and ingratitude wherewith we have

spent so many of our few days of life, that is, in sinning

against our Heavenly Father: and we shall be not only

willing, but eager to go through these days of penance,

which He so mercifully gives us for making reparation

to His offended justice.

T
he Lesson is taken from the Book of the Prophet

Joel (Ch. ii. 12.-19) :

Thus saith the Lord, Be converted to Me with

all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in

mourning. And rend your hearts and not your gar-

ments, and turn to the Lord your God; for He is

gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and

ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but He

will return, and forgive and leave a blessing behind Him,

sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the

trumpet in Sion : sanctify a fast
;

call a solemn assembly

;

gather together the people; sanctify the Church; as-

semble the ancients; gather together the little ones, and

them that suck at the breasts; let the bridegroom go

forth from his bed, and the bride out of her bride-

chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests,

the Lord’s ministers, shall weep
;
and shall .say. Spare, O

I.ord, spare Thy people; and give not thine inheritance

to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them.

Why should they saiy among the nation';, Vi/lnere is th(!ir

Cml? 'fhe I.ord hath l>een zealous im' ISis Isiml,, md hath



12 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

spared His people. And the Lord answered, and said

to His people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine,

and oil, and you shall be filled with them; and I will

no more make you a reproach among the nations, saith

the Lord Almighty.”

We learn from this magnificent passage of the Prophet

Joel, how acceptable to God is the expiation of fasting.

When the penitent sinner inflicts corporal penance upon

himself, God’s justice is appeased. We have a proof of
it in the Ninivites. If the Almighty pardoned an infidel

city, as Ninive was, solely because its inhabitants sought

for mercy under the garb of penance; what will He not

do in favor of His Own people, who offer Him the two-

fold sacrifice, exterior works of mortification and true

contrition of heart? Let us, then, courageously enter on

the path of penance. We are living in an age when,

through want of faith and fear of God, those practices

which are as ancient as Christianity itself, and on which

we might almost say it was founded, are falling into

disuse: it behooves us to be on our guard, lest we, too,

should imbibe the false principles which have so fear-

fully weakened the Christian spirit. Let us never forget

our own personal debt to the divine justice, which will

remit neither our sins nor the punishment due to them,

except inasmuch as we are ready to make satisfaction.

We have just been told that these bodies, which we are
so inclined to pamper, are but dust

;
and as to our souls,

which we are so often tempted to sacrifice by indulging

the flesh, they have claims upon the body, claims of both

restitution and obedience.

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

Matthew (Ch. vi. 16-21) :

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: When you

fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 13

their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Amen,

I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou,

when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,

that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father,

Who is in secret : and thy Father, Who seeth in secret,

will reward thee. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on

earth, where the rust and moth consume, and where

thieves break through and steal. But lay up for your-

selves treasures in heaven, where neither the rust nor

moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break

through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is

thy heart also.’’

Our Redeemer would not have us receive the announce-

ment of the great fast as one of sadness and melancholy.

The Christian who understands what a dangerous thing

it is to be behindhand with divine justice, welcomes the

season of Lent with joy; it consoles him. He knows

that if he be faithful in observing what the Church pre-

scribes, his debt will be less heavy upon him. These

penances, these satisfactions (which the indulgence of the

Church has rendered so easy), being offered to God

unitedly with those of Our Saviour Himself, and being

rendered fruitful by that holy fellowship which blends

into one common propitiatory sacrifice the good works

of all the members of the Church Militant, will purify

our souls, and make them worthy to partake in the grand

Easter joy. Let us not, then, be sad because we are

to fast; let us be sad only because we have sinned and

made fasting a necessity. In this same Gospel, Our Re-

deemer gives us a second counsel, which the Church will

often bring before us during the whole course of Lent:

it is that of joining almsdeeds with our fasting. He

bids us to lay up treasures in heaven. For this, we need

intercessors
;

let us seek them among the poor.



14 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT.

E acknowledge ourselves to be sinners; we are en-

gaged at this very time in doing penance for the

sins we have committed
;

but how was it that we fell

into sin? The devil tempted us; we did not reject the

temptation; then we yielded to the suggestion, and the

sin was committed. This is the history of our past; and

such it would also be for the future were we not to

profit by the lesson given us to-day by our Redeemer.

When the Apostle speaks of the wonderful mercy

shown us by our Divine Saviour, Who vouchsafed to

make Himself like to us in all things, save in sin, he

justly lays stress on His temptations (Heb. iv. 15). He,

Who was very God, humbled Himself even so low as

this, to prove how tenderly He compassionated us.

Here, then, we have the Saint of saints allowing the

wicked spirit to approach Him, in order that we may

learn from His example how we are to gain victory

under temptation.

We have three enemies to fight against; our soul has

three dangers
;

for as the Beloved Disciple says : ‘‘ All

that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh,

and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of

life’^ (i John ii. 16). By the concupiscence of the flesh is

meant the love of sensual things, which covets whatever

is agreeable to the flesh, and, when not curbed, draws

the soul into unlawful pleasures. Concupiscence of the

eyes expresses the love of the goods of this world, such

as riches and possessions
;

these dazzle the eye and then

seduce the heart. Pride of life is that confidence in our-

selves which leads us to be vain and presumptuous, and

makes us forget that all that we have—our life and every
good gift—we have from God, Our Saviour Who wish-



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 15

ing to be our Model in all things, designed to subject

Himself to these three temptations.

First of all Satan tempts Him in what regards the

flesh: he suggests to Him to satisfy the cravings of

hunger by working a miracle, and changing the stones

into bread. Secondly, he tempts Jesus to be proud : ‘‘Cast

Thyself down; the angels shall bear Thee up in their

hands.’' Satan then makes a last effort : he hopes to gain

over by ambition Him Who has given such proofs of

temperance and humility. He shows Him all the “ king-

doms of the world and the glory of them;” and says

to Him: “All these will I give Thee, if falling down,

Thou wilt adore me.” Jesus rejects the wretched offer,

and drives from Him the seducer, “ the prince of this

world” (John xiv. 30).

Let us observe,how it is that our Divine Model, our

Redeemer, overcomes the tempter. Does He hearken to

his words? Does He allow the temptation time, and

give it strength by delay? We did so when we were
tempted, and we fell. But Our Lord immediately meets

each temptation with the shield of God’s word. He says

:

“It is written: Not on bread alone doth man live. It

is written: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

It is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and

Him Qnly shalt thou serve.” This then must be our prac-

tice for the time to come. We are now in a season of ex-
traordinary grace

;
our hearts are on the watch, danger-

ous occasions are removed, everything that savors of

worldliness is laid aside; our souls, purified by prayer,

fasting and almsdeeds are to rise with Christ to a new

life
;
but shall we persevere ? All depends upon how we be-

have under temptation. Here at the very opening of Lent,

the Church gives us this passage of the Holy Gospel that

we may have not only precept but example. If we be



i6 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

attentive and faithful the lesson she gives us will pro-

duce its fruit
;
and when we come to the Easter solemnity,

we* shall have those sure pledges of perseverance—vig-
ilance, self-diffidence, prayer and the never failing help

of divine grace.

T
he Epistle is taken from that of St. Paul the Apostle
to the Corinthians (2 Cor. vi. i-io) :

Brethren, we exhort you that you receive not the

grace of God in vain. For He saith: In an acceptable

time have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have

I helped thee. Behold now is the acceptable time : be-

hold now is the day of salvation. Giving no offence to

any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all

things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God,

in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in dis-

tresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in

watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-

suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity

unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God;

by the armor of justice on the right hand, and the left:

by honor and dishonor: by evil report and good report:

as deceivers, and yet true : as unknown, and yet known

:

as dying and behold we live : as chastised, and not killed

:

as sorrowful yet always rejoicing: as needy, yet en-

riching many: as having nothing, and possessing all

things.'’

These words of the Apostle give us a very different

idea of the Christian life from that which our own

tepidity suggests. We dare not say that he is wrong, and
we are right; but we put a strange interpretation upon

his words, and we tell both ourselves and those around

us, that the advice he gives is not to be taken literally

nowadays, and that it was written for those special diffi-



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

culties of the first age of the Church when the faithfu.

stood in need of unusual detachment and almost heroism,

because they were always in danger of persecution and

death. The interpretation is full of that discretion which

meets with the applause of our cowardice, and it easily

persuades us to be at rest, iust as* though we had no

dangers to fear and no battle to fight ; whereas we have

both. Let us learn from the temptations of our divine

Master that the life of man upon earth is a warfare
’’

(Job vii. i), and that, unless our fighting be truceless

and brave, our life which we would fain pass in peace

will witness our defeat.

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

Matthew (Ch. iv. i-ii):

‘‘ At that time, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the

desert to be tempted by the devil. And when He had

fasted forty days and forty nights. He was afterwards

hungry. And the tempter coming, said to Him: If Thou

be the Son of God, command that these stones be made

bread. And He answered and said: It is written, ‘Not

by bread alone doth man live, but by every word that

proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ Then the devil

took Him into the holy city, and set Him upon a pin-

nacle of the temple, and said to Him: If thou be the

Son of God cast Thyself down : for it is written, ‘He

hath given His angek charge over Thee, and in their

hands shall they bear Thee up lest perhaps Thou dash

Thy foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him : It is written

again, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God/ Again

ihe devil took Him up into a very high mountain, and

showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory

of them, and said to Him : ‘All these will I give Thee,

if falling down Thou wilt adore me.’ Then Jesus said

".o him : Begone Satan^ for it is written : ‘The Lord thy



i8 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

God shalt thou adore and Him only shalt thou serve.*

Then the devil left Him
;
and angels came and ministered

to Him.’’

Let us admire the exceeding goodness of the Son of

God, Who not satisfied with atoning for all our sins by

dying on the Cross, deigns to suffer a fast of forty days

and forty nights, in order to encourage us to do penance.

He would not that the justice of His Heavenly Father

should exact any punishment from us, unless He Himself

first suffered it, and that too in a thousand times severer

way than we could. What are all our penances—even
were they done thoroughly—when we compare them with
the severity of this fast of Jesus in the desert? Can we

have the face to be ever seeking for dispensations from

the little which Our Lord asks of us in atonement for

our sins—sins, alas! which deserve such rigorous
penance ?

What was it that supported Him? Prayer, devoted-

ness to us, and the knowledge of the exigencies of His

Father’s justice. And when the forty days were over,

and His human nature was faint from exhaustion. He

is assailed by temptations; but here again He thinks of

us and sets us an example; He triumphs over tempta-

tion calmly, resolutely and thereby teaches us how to

conquer. How blasphemous the boldness of Satan, who

dares to tempt Him Who is the Just by excellence!

But how divine is the patience of Jesus! The Christian

soul is sometimes exposed to the vilest insults from this

same enemy: nay, at times it is on the point of com-

plaining to God for His permitting it to have such

humiliations. Let it, on these occasions think upon

Jesus, the Saint of saints, Who was given over, so to

speak, to the wicked spirit; and yet He is none the less

the Son of God, the Conquerer of hell.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 19

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT.

T
he subject offered to our consideration on this second

Sunday, is one of the utmost importance for the holy

season. The Church applies to us the lesson which Our

Saviour gave to three of His Apostles. Let us endeavor

to be more attentive to it than they were.

Jesus was about to pass from Galilee into Judea, that

He might go up to Jerusalem and be present at the feast

of the Pasch. It was that last Pasch which was to begin

with the immolation of the figurative lamb, and end with

the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the

sins of the world. Jesus would have His disciples not

only know Him, but be faithful and loyal to Him even

unto the end. Their Master was to be put to the severest

test, and Jesus would mercifully forearm them by an ex-

traordinary grace.

Jesus selects three out of the number who are especially

dear to Him, Peter, James, the son of Thunder, and

John, James’ brother, and His Own Beloved Disciple.

Jesus has resolved to take them aside and show them a

glimpse of that glory which, until the day fixed for its

manifestation. He conceals from the eyes of mortals.

He therefore leaves the rest of His disciples in the plain

near Nazareth, and goes in company with the three

privileged ones towards a high hill, called Thabor, which

the Psalmist tells us was to rejoice in the Name of the

Lord” (Ps. Ixxxviii. 13). No sooner has He reached

the summit of the mountain than the three Apostles ob-

serve a sudden change come over Him; His face shines

as the sun, and His humble garments become white as

snow. They observe two venerable men approach and

speak with Him. One is Moses, the Lawgiver
;
the other

is Elias, the Prophet. These two great representatives of



20 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

the Jewish religion, the Law and the Prophets, humbly

adore Jesus of Nazareth. The three Apostles are not only

dazzled by the brightness which comes from their divine

Master
;
but they are filled with such a rapture of delight

that they cannot bear the thought of leaving the place.

Peter proposes that they remain there forever, and build

three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elias. But sud-

denly a bright cloud overshadows them and the voice of

the Eternal Father is heard proclaiming the Divinity of

Jesus, and saying: “This is My beloved Son.”

This Transfiguration of the Son of Man, this manifesta-

tion of glory, lasted but a few moments. When the three

Apostles, who on hearing the voice from the cloud had

fallen on their faces with fear, looked up they could see

no one, only Jesus. The bright cloud was gone; Moses

and Elias had disappeared. But what a favor had been

bestowed upon them! Will they remember what they

have seen and heard, and doubt not the Divinity of their

Master, Jesus, even when they see Him sufifer and die

in ignominy. Alas 1 the Gospel has told us how they acted

when the trial came.

We must not allow our faith to be weakened when

we behold the fulfillment of those prophecies of David

and Isaias, that the Messias is to be treated as a “ worm

of the earth” (Ps. xxi.), and be covered with wounds

so as to become like a “ leper, the most abject of men,”

and the “ Man of sorrows ” (Is. liii. 3, 4). The more we

see Him humbled, the more must we proclaim His

glory and Divinity.

T
he Epistle for this Sunday is taken from that of St.
Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians (i Thess.

iv. 1-7) :

“ Brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose .21

Jesus, that as you have received of us, how you ought

to walk and to please God, so also you would walk

that you may abound the more. For you know what

precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For

this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you

should abstain from fornication, that every one of you

should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification

and honor, not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles

that know not God; and that no man over-reach, nor

circumvent his brother in business
;
because the Lord is

the avenger of all these things as we have told you

before and have testified. For God hath not called us

unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus

Our Lord.”

' Here the Apostle shows what manner of life should

be followed by Christians. A Christian is a vehel of
honor

j

formed and enriched by the hand of God; let

him, therefore, shun whatsoever would degrade his noble

origin and turn him into a vessel of dishonor. The

Christian Religion has so far ennobled man that even

his very body may share in his soul’s sanctky; on the

other hand, she teaches us that this sanctity of the soul

is impaired, yea altogether effaced, by the loss of the

body’s purity. The whole man, therefore, both body

and soul, is to be reformed by the practices of this holy

season. Let us purify the soul by the confession of our

sins, by compunction of heart, by the love of God; and

let us give back its dignity to the body by making it

bear the yoke of penance, that so it may be henceforth

subservient and docile to the soul, and on the day of

the general resurrection partake in its endless bliss.

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

Matthew (Ch. xvii. 1-9) :

‘‘At that time, Jesus taketh unto Him Peter and



22 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into

a high mountain apart : and He was transfigured before

them. And His face did shine as the sun: and His

garments became as white as snow. And behold there ap-

peared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then

Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord it is good for us

to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three taber-

nacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses and one for

Elias. And as he was speaking, behold a bright cloud

overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud,

saying: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well

pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell

upon their face and were very much afraid. And when

they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one, but only

Jesus. And as they came down the mountain, Jesus*

charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man till

the Son of Man shall be risen from the dead.”

Thus did Jesus encourage His Apostles when the

time of temptation was near; He sought to impress

them with His glory that it might keep up their faith

in that trying time when the outward eye would see

nothing in His person but weakness and humiliation.

Oh ! the loving considerateness of divine grace which is

never wanting and shows in so stiong a light the good-

ness and the justice of our God! The fountain of this

grace is never dried up; as long as we are in this

world we may draw from this source which is the

Precious Blood and merits of Our Redeemer. That

grace is now urging us to amend our lives. It is of-

fered to us in abundance during the present time. Let

us go up the mountain with Jesus
;

there we shall not

be disturbed by the noise of earthly things.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 23

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT.

I

F there be one season of the year more than another

in which the faithful ought to reflect upon what is

taught us both by faith and experience as to the exist-

ence and workings of the wicked spirits, it is un-

doubtedly this of Lent, when it is our duty to consider

what have been the causes of our past sins, what are

the spiritual dangers we have to fear for the future,

and what means should be used in order to prevent

our relapsing into sin?

Let us hearken to the passage from the Holy Gospel

of St. Luke which Holy Church reads us to-day : The

devil possessed a man and the man could not speak. Be-

fore he was able to speak. Our Lord had first to cast the

devil out of him.’’

To the devil it is sometimes granted to have power

over our bodies. We ought to dread not only his pos-
sible power over our bodies, we ought to fear still more

the influence he is striving to exercise over our souls.

During this holy season, the Church places more than

ever within our reach the great means of victory for

salvation—prayer, fasting, almsdeeds. But even when
the victory is gained, we must not deceive ourselves

by thinking that we are absolutely secure. Our Saviour

tells us that when the unclean spirit is gone out of a

man, he walketh through places without water.” This

means that when the devil is driven from the soul, he

still actually thirsts for the soul’s destruction. He

will endeavor to return— I will return into my house
whence I came out.” He will call upon other spirits to

help him, and take with him seven other spirits even

more wicked than himself.” The soul that is only

''swept and garnished” will not be able to resist this



24 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

onslaught of temptation. The soul ‘ must for its own

safety be ever on the watch and well armed. Unless it

be so the wicked spirits ‘‘ entering in will dwell there so

that the last state of that man is worse than the first.’’

Let us ever remember, therefore, that our whole life

must be a ceaseless warfare.

^PHE Epistle is taken from that of St. Paul the Apostle
i to the Ephesians (Ch. v. 1-9) :

'' Brethren, be ye followers of God as most dear chil-

dren; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us

and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a

sacrifice to God, for an odor of sweetness. But forni-

cation, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not

so much as be named among you, as becometh saints;

or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to

no purpose : but rather giving of thanks. For know ye

this and understand, that no fornicator or unclean, or

covetous person, which is serving of idols, hath in-

heritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let

no. man deceive you with vain words: for because of

these things cometh the anger of God upon the chil-

dren of unbelief. Be ye not, therefore, partakers with

them. For you were heretofore darkness, but now light

in the Lord. Walk ye as children of the light: for the

fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice and

truth.”

The Apostle speaking to the faithful at Ephesus re-

minds them how they were once darkness; but now, he

says, ''ye are light in the Lord.” We were sanctified al-
most as soon as we came into the world; have we been

faithful to our baptism? "We were Light.” Are we
Light now? The beautiful likeness to Our Heavenly

Father, which was once ours, do we still possess it or



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 25

have we lost it? If the latter, we may, thanks to divine

mercy, recover it. Let our repentance and penance re-

store within us that Light whose fruit consists in all

goodness, justice and truth.

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

Luke (Ch. xi. 14-28):

‘‘ At that time, Jesus was casting out a devil, and the

same was dumb. And when He had cast out the devil,

the dumb spoke, and the multitude were in admiration

at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils

by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. And others tempt-

ing, asked of Him a sign from heaven. But He seeing

their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided

against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house

upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided

against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because

you say that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now

if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your chil-

dren cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your

judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils,

doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When

a strong man keepeth his court, those things are in peace

which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come

upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his

armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.

He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that

gathereth not with Me, scattereth. When the unclean

spirit is gone out of man, he walketh through places

without water seeking rest
;
and not finding, he saith

:

I will return into my house whence I came out. And

when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.

Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits

more wicked than himself, and entering they dwell

there; and the last state of that man becometh worse



26
.

Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

than the first. And it came to pass, as He spoke these

things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her

voice, said to Him: ‘‘Blessed is the womb that bore

Thee and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said:

Yea, rather blessed are they who hear the word of God

and keep it.’’

As soon as Jesus had cast out the devil, the man re-

covered his speech, for the possession had made him

dumb. It is an image of what happens to a sinner who

will not, or dare not, confess his sin. If he confessed it,

and asked pardon, he would be delivered from the

tyranny which now oppresses him. Alas! how many

there are who are kept back, by a dumb devil, from

making the confession that would save them! The holy

season of Lent is advancing; these days of grace are

passing away. Let us offer up our earnest prayers for

sinners that they may speak, that is, may accuse them-

selves in confession and obtain pardon.

Let us meditate also upon those other words of Our

Lord in to-day’s Gospel : “ He that is not with Me is

against Me.” What makes us fall back into the power

of Satan, and forget our duty to our God, is that we

do not frankly declare ourselves for Jesus when oc-

casions require us to do so. We try to be on both
sides, we have recourse to subterfuge, we temporize:

this takes away our energy
;
God no longer gives us the

abundant graces we received when we were loyal and

generous; our relapse is all but certain. Therefore, let

us be boldly and unmistakably with Christ. He that is

a soldier of Christ, should be proud of his title.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT.

27

T
his Sunday, called from the first word of the In-

troit, Lcetare (Rejoice) Sunday, is one of the most

solemn of the year. The Church interrupts her Lenten

mournfulness; the chants of the Mass speak of noth-

ing but joy and consolation. The Church's motive for

introducing this expression of joy in to-day’s Liturgy

is to encourage her children to persevere to the end of

this holy season. She not only permits, but even bids

her children to rejoice. Another name given to the

Fourth Sunday of Lent was suggested by the Gospel of

the day. We find this Sunday called in several ancient

documents the Sunday of the Five Loaves, This miracle

is also an additional element of to-day’s joy. It recalls

to us the greatest of the benefits He has bestowed upon

us; for under the figure of these loaves, multiplied by

the power of Jesus, our faith sees that ‘‘Bread which com-

eth down from heaven and giveth life to the world” (John

vi. 33). Before leaving this world to go to His Father,

Jesus desires to feed the multitude that follows Him;

and in order to do this He displays His omnipotence.

Well may we admire that creative power which feeds

five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, and

in such wise that even after all have partaken of the

feast as much as they would, there remain fragments

enough to fill twelve baskets. Such a miracle is, indeed,

an evident proof of Christ’s mission
;
but He intends it

as a preparation for something far more wonderful
;
He

intends it as a figure and a pledge of what He is soon

to do, not merely once or twice, but every day even to

the end of time; not only for five thousa^^d men, but for

the countless multitude of believers^ Wc are to feast as
did our fathers before us

;
and the geri.crations that are



28 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

to follow us shall be invited, as we now are, to come

and taste how sweet is the Lord (Ps. xxxiii. 9).

T
he Epistle is taken from that of St. Paul the Apostle
to the Galatians (Ch. iv. 22-31) :

‘‘ Brethren, it is written that Abraham had two sons

;

the one by a bond-woman, and the other by a free-

woman. But he who was of the bond-woman, was

born according to the flesh
;
but he by the free-woman,

was by promise. Which things are said by an allegory.

For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount

Sina engendering unto bondage, which is Agar; for

Sina is a mountain in Arabia which hath affinity to that

Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her

children. But that Jerusalem which is above, is free;

which is our mother. For it is written: Rejoice, thou

barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry thou that

travailest not; for many are the children of the desolace,

more than of her that hath a husband. Now we,

brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

But as then, he that was born according to the flesh,

persecuted him that was after the spirit, so also now.

But what saith the Scripture ? Cast out the bond-woman

and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not

be heir with the son of the free-woman. So then,

brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but

of the free; by the freedom wherewith Christ hath

made us free.’’

Let us, then rejoice! we are children, not of Sina,

but of Jerusalem. Our Mother, the Holy Church, is not

a bond-woman^ but free; and it is unto freedom that

she has brought us up. We serve God through love;
our yoke is sweet, and our burden is light (Matt. xi. 30).

We are not citizens of the earth; we are but pilgrims



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 29

passing through it to our true country, the Jerusalem

which is above. Now is the favorable time; now are

the days of salvation : we have obeyed the Church’s call,

and have entered in to the practice and spirit of Lent.

We begin to breathe the fresh air of holy liberty. Let

us, with all possible affection, thank our divine Liberator,

Who delivers us from the bondage of Agar, emancipates

us from the law of fear, and making us His new people,

opens to us, at the price of His blood, the gates of the

heavenly Jerusalem.

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

John (Ch. vi. 1-15) :

^'At that time, Jesus went over the sea of Galilee,

which is that of Tiberias; and a great multitude fol-

lowed Him, because they saw the miracles He did on

them, that were diseased. Jesus therefore went up into

a mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now

the Pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at

’hand. When Jesus therefore had lifted up His eyes and

seen that a very great multitude cometh to Him, He said

to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread that these may

eat? and this He said to try him, for He Himself

knew what He would do. Philip answered Him: Two

hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them

that every one may take a little. One of His disciples,

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to Him:

There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves and two

fishes; but what are they among so many? Then Jesus

said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much

grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in

number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves,

and when He had given thanks. He distributed to them

that were sat down. In like manner also of the fishes,

as much as they would; and when they were filled, He



30 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

said to His disciples: Gather up the fragments that re-

main lest they be lost. They gathered up therefore and

filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five

barley loaves which remained over and above to them

that had eaten. Now these men when they had seen

what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth

the Prophet that is to come into the world. Jesus there-

fore, when He knew that they would come to take Him

by force and make Him king, fled again into the moun-

tain Himself alone.’’

These men, whom Jesus has been feeding by a miracle

of love and power, are resolved to make Him their

King, What, then, shall we Christians do, who know

the goodness and power of Jesus incomparably better

than these poor Jews? We must beseech Him to reign
over us from this day forward. We have just been read-
ing in the Epistle that it is He Who has made us free

by delivering us from our enemies. O glorious liberty!

But the only way to maintain it is to live under His’

law. Jesus is not a tyrant, as are the world and the

flesh; His rule is sweet and peaceful, and we are His

children rather than His servants. In the court of such

a King to serve is to reign.” What then have we to

do with our old slavery? If some of its chains be still

upon us, let us lose no time, let us break them, for the

Pasch is near at hand; the great feast-day begins to

dawn. Onwards then courageously to the end of our

journey! Jesus will refresh us; He will make us sit

down as He did the men of the Gospel; and the Bread

He has in store fot us will make us forget all our past

fatigues.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 31

PASSION SUNDAY.

^‘"TO-DAY if you shall hear the voice of the Lord,

1 harden not your hearts/’

The Holy Church begins her Night Office of this Sun-

day with these impressive words of the royal Psalmist.

The sweet voice of our suffering Jesus now speaks to us

sinners. The Son of God is about to give us the last

and greatest proof of the love that brought Him down

from heaven; His death is nigh at hand. Let us enter

into ourselves; let not our hearts, after being touched

with grace, return to their former obduracy, for nothing

could be more dangerous. The great anniversaries we

are to celebrate have a renovating power for those souls

chat faithfully correspond with the grace which is offered

them; but increase insensibility in those who let them

pass without working their conversion. To-day, therefore,

if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your

hearts!

During the preceding four weeks we have noticed

how the malice of Christ’s enemies has been gradually in-

creasing. His very presence irritates them; and it is

evident that any little circumstance will suffice to bring

the deep and long-nurtured hatred to a head. The kind

and gentle manners of Jesus are drawing to Him all

hearts that are simple and upright; at the same time,

the humble life He leads and the stern purity of His

doctrines, are perpetual sources of vexation and anger,

both to the proud Jew that looks forward to the Messias

being a mighty conqueror, and to the Pharisee, who cor-

rupts the Law of God that he may make it the instru-

ment of his own base passions. Still Jesus continues to

work His miracles; His discourses are more than ever

energetic
,
His prophecies foretell the fall of Jerusalem, and



32 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

such a destruction of the famous Temple that not a stone

is to be left on a stone. The Doctors of the Law should

at least reflect upon what they hear. But there is not a

single outrage or sufifering foretold by David and Isaias,

as having to be put upon the Messias, which these blind

men are not scheming to verify. In them, therefore, was

fulfilled that terrible saying : ‘‘ He that shall speak

against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him,

neither in this world, nor in the world to come.’’ The

Synagogue is nigh to a curse. Obstinate in her error,

she has deliberately extWguished within herself the light

of the Holy Spirit; sW will go deeper and deeper into

evil, and at length fall into the abyss. This same lament-

able conduct is but too often witnessed nowadays.

Neither should it surprise us that we find in people of

our own generation a resemblance to the murderers of

our Jesus: the history of His Passion will reveal to us

many sad secrets of the human heart and its perverse

inclinations; for what happened in Jerusalem, happens

also in every sinner’s heart. His heart, according to the

saying of St. Paul, is a Calvary where Jesus is crucified.

T
he Epistle is taken from that of St. Paul to the
Hebrews (Ch. ix. 11-15) :

Brethren, Christ being come, an High Priest of the

good things to come, by a greater and more perfect

tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this

creation, neither by the blood of goats or of calves, but

by His Own Blood, entered into the Holies, having ob-

tained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and

of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanc-

tify such as are the defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh

;

how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who by the

Holy Ghost offered Himself unspotted unto God, cleanse



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 33

our conscience from dead works to seive the living God?

And therefore, He is the Mediator of tli e New Testament

;

that by means of His death, for the redemption of those

transgressions which were under the former testament,

they that are called may receive the pi omise of eternal

inheritance.’’

In Jesus is fulfilled the most sacred of the figures of

the Old Law. Once each year the high priest entered

into the Holy of Holies there to make mtercession for

the people. He went within the Veil CA en to the Ark

of the Covenant; but he was not allowed to enjoy this

great privilege unless he entered the holy place carrying

in his hands the blood of a newly-offered victim. The

Son of God, the true High Priest, is now about to enter

heaven, and we are to follow Him hither; but for this,

He must have an offering of blood, and that Blood can

be none other than His Own. We are going to assist

at this His compliance with the divine ordinance. Let

us open our heart, that this precious Blood may, a^s the

Apostle says in to-day’s Epistle, cleanse our conscience

from dead works to serve the living God.”

The Holy Gospel is taken from that according to St.

John (Ch. viii. 46-59) :

“At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the

Jews, Whfch of you shall convince Me of sin? If I

say the truth to you, why do you not believe Me? He

that is of God, heareth the words of God. Therefore

you hear them not, because you are not of God. The

Jews therefore answered, and said to him. Do not we

say well, that Thou art a Samaritan, and hrst a devil ?

Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor My

Father, and you have dishonored Me. But I seek not My

Own glory; there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Amen,

amen, I say to you, if any man keep My word, i\<. ,shal)^



34 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

not see death for ever. The Jews therefore said, Now

we know that Thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and

the prophets; and Thou sayest. If any man keep My

word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou

greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the

prophets are dead. Whom dost Thou make Thyself?

Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory is noth-

ing. It is My Father that glorifieth Me, of Whom you

say that He is your God, And you have not known

Him; but I know Him. And if I shall say that I know

Him not, I shall be like to you a liar. But I do know

Him, and do keep His word. Abraham your father re^

joiced that he might see My day; he saw it, and was

glad. The Jews therefore said to Him, Thou art not yet

fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus said

to them. Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was

made, I am. They took up stones therefore to cast at

Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the

temple.’’

The fury of the Jews is evidently at its height, and

Jesus is obliged to hide himself from them. But He is

to fall into their hands before many days are over; then

will they triumph and put Him to death. Yet there was

a time when they were of God, for the Lord gives His

grace to all men
;
but they have rendered this* grace use^

less
;
they are now in darkness, and the light they have

rejected will not return. The true Lamb is to be sacri-

ficed by their hands, and they will not know Him. He

will shed His Blood for them, but they will not permit

it to save them.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 35

PALM SUNDAY.

E
arly in the morning of this day, Jesus sets out for

Jerusalem, leaving Mary, His Mother, and the two

sisters, Martha and Mary, and Lazarus, at Bethany.

The Mother of Sorrows trembles at seeing her Son thus

expose Himself to danger, for His enemies are bent upon

His destruction; but it is not Death, it is Triumph, that

Jesus is to meet with to-day in Jerusalem. He is to be

proclaimed King by the people of the great city; and

its streets are tO' reecho with Hosannas to the Son of

David.

The disciples spread their garments upon the colt
;
and

Our Saviour, that the prophetic figure might be fulfilled,

sat upon him (Mark xi. 7; Luke xix. 35), and advanced

towards Jerusalem. As soon as it was known that Jesus

was near the city, many went out to meet Him, holding

palm branches in their hands, and loudly proclaiming him

to be King (Luke xix. 38). They that had accom-

panied Jesus from Bethany, joined the enthusiastic crowd.

Whilst some spread their garments on the way, others

cut down boughs from the palm trees, and strewed them

along the road. The triumphant cry of Hosanna, pro-

claimed to the whole city that Jesus, the Son of David,

had made His entrance as her King. Thus did God, in

His power over men’s hearts, procure a triumph for His

Son, and in the very city, which, a few days after, was

to clamor for His Blood. This day was one of glory

for Jesus Christ, and Holy Church would have us renew

each year the memory of this triumph of the God-Man.

Shortly after the birth of our Emmanuel, we saw

the Magi coming from the East, and looking in Jerusalem

for the King of the Jezvs, but it is Jerusalem herself that

now goes forth to meet this King, Each of these events



36 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

is an acknowledgment of the Kingship of Jesus; the

first, from the Gentiles; the second, from the Jews. The

inscription to be put upon the Cross, by Pilate’s order,

will repeat this tribute : Jesus of Nazareth^ King of the

Jews, To-day, the Jews themselves proclaim Jesus to be

their King; they will soon be dispersed, in punishment

for their revolt against the Son of David; but Jesus is

King, and will be so forever.

This is the glorious mystery which ushers in the Great

Week, the Week of Sorrows. Holy Church would have

us give this momentary consolation to our heart, and hail

our Jesus as our King, She has so arranged the service

of to-day that it should express both joy and sorrow;

joy, by uniting herself with the loyal Hosannas of the

city of David; and sorrow, by sharing the Passion of

her Divine Spouse.

T
he Epistle of the Mass is taken from that of St.
Paul to the Philippians (Ch. ii. 5-1 1) :

Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was also

in Christ Jesus; Who being in the form of God, thought

it not robbery to be equal with God
;
but emptied Him-

self, taking the form of a servant, being made in the

likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He

humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even

the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath

exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above

all names: that in the Name of Jesus every knee should

bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the

earth
;

and that every tongue should confess that the

Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.”

In obedience to the wishes of the Church we knelt

at those words of the Apostle where he says that every

knee should bow at the Holy Name of Jesus. If there



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 37

be one time of the year rather than another, when the

Son of God has a right to our fervent adorations, it is

this week, when we see Him in His Passion. Not only

should His sufferings excite us to tender compassion;

we should also keenly resent the insults that are heaped

Upon Him, Our Saviour and the God of infinite majesty.

Let us strive, by our humble homage, to make Him

amends for the indignities He suffered in atonement for

our pride.

Let us unite with the holy Angels, who, witnessing

what He has endured for love of man, prostrate them-

selves, in profound adoration, at the sight of His hu-

miliations.

The Holy Gospel for the Blessing of the Palms is

taken from that according to St. Matthew (Ch. xxi.

1-9)

:

At that time, when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem,

and was come to Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet, He

sent two disciples, saying to them. Go ye into the village

that is over against you, and immediately you shall find

an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring

them to Me. And if any man shall say anything to you,

say ye that the Lord hath need of them; and forthwith

he will let them go. Now all this was done that it might be

fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying. Tell ye

the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh to thee,

meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her

that is used to the yoke. And the disciples going, did as

Jesus commanded them; and they brought the ass and the

colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made Him sit

thereon. And a very great multitude spread their gar-

ments in the way; and others cut boughs from the trees,

and strewed them in the way: and the multitudes that

went before, and that followed, cried, saying. Hosanna to



38 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

the son of David ! blessed is He that cometh in the name

of the Lord!’'

The sacred historian tells us, that Jesus, immediately

upon His entrance into the city, went to the Temple, and

cast out all them that sold and bought there (Matt. xxi.

12). This was the second time that He had shown

authority in His Father’s House, and no one had dared to

resist Him. The chief priests and Pharisees found fault

with Him, and accused Him of causing confusion by

His entry into the city; but Our Lord confounded them

by the reply He made. It is thus, that in after ages,

when it has pleased God to glorify His Son and the

Church of His Son, the enemies of both have given vent

to their rage; they protested against the triumph, but

they could not stop it. But, when God, in the unsearch-

able ways of His wisdom, allowed persecution and trial

to follow these periods of triumph, then did these bitter

enemies redouble their efforts to induce those very people,

who once cried Hosanna to the Son of David, to demand

that He be delivered up and cruci^ed.

We learn from St. Matthew (Matt. xxi. 17), that Our
Saviour spent the close of this day at Bethany. It had

brought to Him a great public triumph; before all the

populace He had been proclaimed King—yet in humility
and lowliness, when it was all over. He returned to His

Own.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 39

MAUNDY THURSDAY.
*

f

T
his is the first day of the Azymes, or Feast of the

Unleavened Bread, At sunset, the Jews must eat the

Pasch in Jerusalem, Jesus is still in Bethany; but He

will return to the city before the hour for the Paschal

Supper. He therefore sends two of His disciples, Peter

and John, to get everything ready for the Pasch.

Jesus tells them by what sign they are to know the

house which He intends to honor with His presence. The

two Apostles apprise the owner of their Master’s wishes

;

and he immediately puts at their disposal a large and

richly furnished room.

Jesus is in the supper chamber, where the Paschal

Lamb is to be eaten. All the Apostles are with Him. At

the beginning of the repast, Jesus speaks these words

to His Apostles : With desire I have desired to eat this

Pasch with you, before I suffer” (Luke xxii. 15).

The legal feast being over, a second feast follows, which

again brings the disciples around their Divine Master. And

as soon as the second repast was over, Jesus suddenly rises,

and, to the astonishment of His Apostles, takes off His

upper garment, girds Himself, as a servant, with a towel,

pours water into a basin, and prepares to wash the feet

of the guests. It was the custom to wash one’s feet be-

fore taking part in a feast
;

it was considered as the very

extreme of hospitality when the master of the house him-

self did this service to his guest. Jesus would teach us,

by what He is now doing, how great is the purity, where-

with we should approach the Holy Table. “ He that is

washed,” says He, needeth not but to wash his feet
”

(John xiii. 10); as though He would say: The holi-

ness of this Table is such that they who come to it,

should not only be free from grievous sins, but they



40 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

should, moreover, strive to cleanse their souls from all

lesser faults/' •

Then taking a piece of the unleavened bread. He raises

His eyes to heaven, blesses the bread, breaks it, and dis-

tributes it to His disciples, saying to them: “Take ye,

and eat; this is my Body" (Matt. xxvi. 26). The

Apostles take the bread, which is now changed into the

Body of their Divine Master: they eat—and Jesus is,
now, not only with them, but in them. But, as this sacred

mystery is not only the most holy of the sacraments, but,

moreover, a true Sacrifice; our Jesus takes the cup, and

changing the wine into His Own Blood, He passes it to His

disciples, saying to them : “ Drink ye, all, of this
;
for this

is My Blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed

for many, unto remission of sins" (Matt. xxvi. 27, 28).

The Apostles drink from the sacred chalice thus profifered

them. When it comes to Judas, he too partakes of it, but

he drinks his own damnation, as he ate his own judg-

ment, when he received the Bread of Life (i Cor. xi. 29).

Jesus, however, mercifully offers the traitor another

grace, by saying, as He gives the Cup to His disciples

:

“ The hand that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table "

(Luke xxii. 21).

The institution of the Holy Eucharist, both as a Sacra-

ment and Sacrifice, is followed by another, the institution

of a new Priesthood. How could Our Saviour have

said: “ Except you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and

drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you " (John

vi. 54), unless He had resolved to establish a ministry

upon earth, whereby He would renew, even to the end of

time, the great Mystery He thus commands us to re-

ceive?- He begins it to-day, in the Cenacle. The Twelve

Apostles are the first to partake of it: but observe what

He says to them: “Do this for a commemoration of



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 41

Me'’ (Luke xxii. 19). By these words He gives them

power to change bread into His Body, and wine into His

Blood; and this sublime power shall be perpetuated in

the Church, by holy ordination, even to the end of the

world. Jesus will continue to operate, by the ministry

of mortal and sinful men, the Mystery of the Last Sup-

per. By thus enriching His Church with the one and

perpetual Sacrifice, He also gives us the means of abiding

in Him; for He gives, us, as He promised, the Bread of

heaven. To-day, then, we keep the anniversary, not only

of the institution of the Holy Eucharist, but, also, of the

equally wonderful institution of the Christian Priesthood.

Jesus, after having provided for the future of His

Church by the words He addressed to Peter, thus speaks

affectionately to all the eleven : Little children
!
yet a

little while I am with you Love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,

if ye have love one for another. Peter says to Him:

Lord; whither goest Thou? Whither I go, answers

Jesus, thou canst not 'now follow Me; but thou shalt

follow hereafter. Why cannot I follow thee now ? again

asks Peter: I will lay down my life for Thee. Wilt

thou, replies Jesus, lay down thy life for Me? Amen,

amen, I say to thee: the cock shall not crow, till thou

deny me thrice” (John xiii. 33-38). Peter’s love for

Jesus had too much of the human about it, for it was

not based on humility.

He continues His instructions as they go along to Mount

Olivet. He takes occasion from their passing by a vine

to speak of the effect produced by divine grace in the

soul of man. I am the true vine,” He says, and My
Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in Me that

beareth not fruit. He will take away, and every one that

beareth fruit. He will purge it, that it may bring forth



42 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

more fruit Abide in Me, and I in you. As the

branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the

vine
;

so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

He next speaks to them of the persecutions that await

them, and of the hatred the world will have of them.

Such are the outpourings of the loving Heart of our

Jesus, as He crosses the Brook of Cedron, and ascends,

with His Disciples, the Mount of Olives. Having come

as far as Gethsemani, He goes into a garden, whither He

had often led His Apostles, and rested there with them.

Suddenly His soul is overpowered with grief. Such in-

tense sadness seizes Him that the very presence of His

disciples is insupportable. Grief lays Him on the ground

and He prays. The power of the Divinity, which is in

Him, supports Him: but it does not prevent Him

from feeling every suffering, just as though He had been

mere Adan. Thrice He begs that the chalice of suffering

and sham.e be taken from Him
;
but He ends by saying

to His Father: ‘‘Not My will, but Thine be done!”

(Luke xxii. 42.)

Jesus then rises, leaving the earth covered with the

Blood of His Agony—it is the first bloodshedding of His
Passion. He finds His disciples again asleep. This time

He speaks to them, saying : “ Sleep ye now, and take

your rest I Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of

Man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners ” (Matt,

xxvi. 45). Then resuming the energy of His divine

courage, He adds : “ Rise I let us go 1 Behold, he is at

hand that will betray Me 1 ” (Matt. xxvi. 46.)



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 43

GOOD FRIDAY.

‘‘PHE priest and scribes did not wait for the coming

i of day to vent their rage upon Jesus. Annas, the

first to receive the Divine Captive took Him to Caiaphas,

the high priest. In the presence of Caiaphas, Jesus is

many times insulted. The Son of God came down from

heaven in order to restore man to life, and yet here this

creatufe of death dares to summon the Divine Bene-

factor before him and condemns Him to death. Jesus

bears willingly with these ungrateful blasphemers. Well

may we exclaim in the words with which the Greek

liturgy frequently interprets to-day’s reading of the

Passion. ‘‘ Glory be to Thy patience, O Lord.”

The disciple, Peter, who has made his way to the

court of the high priest’s palace, is charged with being

one of His disciples. Peter at once emphatically denies

His Master. Jesus casts upon him one look of re-

proach and pardon, and Peter immediately repents of his

sin with bitter tears. From this hour forward he can

do nothing but lament his sin; and it is only on Easter

morning, when the Risen Jesus shall appear to him, that

he will permit any consolation to enter his afflicted heart.

The chief priests, taking Jesus with them, present

themselves at the governor’s palace, demanding audience.

Pilate comes forward and asks them : What accu-

sation bring ye against this Man ? ” They answered

:

'Hf He were not a malefactor, we would not have de-

livered Him up to thee.” It is very evident from .these

first words that Pilate has a contempt for these Jewish

priests; it is not less evident that they are determined

to gain their cause. Take Him you,” says Pilate,

and judge according to your Law.” The chief priests

answered : It is not lawful for us to put any man to



44 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

death” (John xviii. 29, 30, 31). ‘'Whom will you that

I release to you?” says Pilate; “Barabbas, or Jesus, that

is called Christ?” He has not long to wait for the

answer: the crowd exclaim: “Not this Man, but Barab-

bas !
” “ What then,” replied Pilate, “ shall I do with

Jesus, that is called the Christ?” “Crucify Him.”

“ Why, what evil hath He done ? ” asks Pilate
;
and then

in order to appease the Jews in some measure, he adds

:

“
I will chastise Him, therefore, and let Him go.” But

they, growing irritated at this, cry out so much louder:

“ Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! ” (Matt, xxvii.
;

Luke

xxiii.
;
John xviii.)

Pilate, however, hands over Jesus to the soldiers to be

scourged. They rudely strip Him of His garments, and

tie Him to a pillar. Fiercely do they strike Him; the

blood flows down His sacred body. Let us adore

the second bloodshedding of our Jesus, whereby He ex-

piates for the sins we and the whole world have com-

mitted by the flesh.

Thus mangled and bleeding, holding the reed in His

hand,. and with the scarlet tatters on His shoulders, Jesus

is led back to Pilate. Such a pitiable sight will surely

soften the hearts even of these hardened people; at

least Pilate thinks so; and leading Jesus to the balcony

of the palace, he shows Him to the crowd below, say-

ing: “Behold the Man!” (John xix. 5.) Little did

Pilate know all that these few words conveyed ! He says

not: “Behold Jesus!” nor, “Behold the King of the

Jews! ” he says: “ Behold the Man! ” Man! the Chris-

tian understands the full force of the word thus applied

to Our Redeemer. Adam, the first man, rebelled against

God, and, by his sin, brought disorder to the whole work

of the Creator: as a punishment for his pride and in-

temperance, the flesh tyrannized over the spirit
;
the very



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 45

earth was cursed, and thorns were to be its growth.

Jesus, the New Man, comes into this world, bearing upon

Him, not the reality, but the appearance, the likeness, of

sin
;

in Him, the work of the Creator regains its primeval

order
;
but the change was not wrought without violence.

To teach us, that the flesh must be brought into subjec-

tion to the spirit, Christ’s flesh was torn by the scourges

;

to teach us that pride must give way to humility, the

only crown that Jesus wears is made of thorns. Yes

—

‘‘ Behold the Man ”—the triumph of the spirit over the
flesh, the triumph of humility over pride.

Like the tiger that grows fiercer as he sees blood, so

is Israel at the sight of Jesus after His scourging.

‘‘ Crucify Him! Crucify Him! ” the cry is still the same.

‘‘Take Him you,” says Pilate, “and crucify Him; for

I find no cause in Him.”

Pilate seeing that nothing can quell the tumult, and

that his honor as governor is at stake, decides to give

Jesus over to His enemies. Though against his own in-

clination, he passes the fatal sentence. He takes a tablet,

and with a stylus, writes the Inscription which is to be

fastened to the Cross. The people demand that two

thieves should be crucified at the same time—it would be
an additional insult to Jesus: this, too, he grants, ful-

filling the prophecy of Isaias : “ And with the wicked

was He reputed” (Is. liii. 12). Having thus defiled his

soul with the most heinous of crimes, Pilate washes his

hands before the people, and says to them : “ I am in-

nocent of the blood of this just Man; look ye to itP'

They answer him with this terrible self-imprecation:

“His blood be upon us and upon our children” (Matt,

xxvii. 24, 25).

And now begins that long “ Way of the Cross.” At
its end is the hill of death. Calvary is steep

;
but it is



46 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

the place of Christ’s Sacrifice. He begins the ascent, but

falls a third time. A third time the soldiers force
Jesus to rise and continue His painful journey to the

summit, which is to serve as the Altar for the Holocaust

that is to surpass all others in holiness and power. The

executioners seize the Cross and lay it upon the ground,

preparatory to nailing the Divine Victim upon it. The

moment is at* length come when Jesus is to yield up His

soul to His Father. This Man, worn out by suffering,

exhausted by His three hours’ agony. Whose few words

were scarce audible to them that stood round His Cross,

now utters a loud cry, which is heard at a great dis-

tance, and which fills the Centurion, and all the soldiers

who stand about, with fear and astonishment : ‘‘ Father

!

into Thy hands I commend My spirit ! ” (Luke xxiii. 46.)
This is His seventh and last word

;
after uttering it. He

bows His head and dies. O Jesus ! Son of the Eternal Fa-

ther we adore Thee now lying dead on the wood of Thy

Sacrifice. Thy bitter Death has given us Life. Like

those Jews who saw Thee expire, and returned to Jeru-

salem, striking their breasts, we also confess that it is

our sins that have caused Thy death. Thou hast loved us,

as none but God could love. Henceforth, we must be

Thine, and serve Thee as creatures redeemed at the in-

finite price of Thy Blood. Thou art our God; we are

Thy people. We adore Thy sacred Body, Thy precious
Blood, and Thy holy Cross that have brought us sal-

vation.



Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose 4?

HOLY SATURDAY,

NIGHT has passed over the tomb, wherein lies

buried the Body of the Man-God. Death is

triumphant in that silent cave, and holds captive Him

Who gives life to every creature: but his triumph will

soon be at an end. The soldiers may watch; as best they

will, over that grave: they cannot hold Jesus prisoner

when the moment appointed for His Resurrection

comes. The holy angels are there, profoundly adoring

the lifeless Body of Him, Whose Blood is to “ recom

cile all things both on earth and in heaven” (Colos.

Let us also return to the sepulchre, and adore the Body

of our buried Jesus. Now, at last, we understand what

sin has done : ‘‘ By sin, death entered into the world

;

and it passed upon all men” (Rom. v. 12). Though

Jesus ‘‘knew no sin” (2 Cor. v. 21), yet has He per-

mitted death to have dominion over Him, in order that

He might make it less bitter to us, and by His Resurrec-

tion restore unto us that eternal life of which we have

been deprived by sin. How gratefully we should appre-

ciate this death of our Jesus ! By becoming Incarnate,

He became a “ servant ” (Philip, ii. 7)

;

by enduring

death He submitted to a still deeper humiliation. The

sight of the tomb wherein lies His Body lifeless and cold,

teaches us something far more important than the power

of death : it reveals to us the immense, incomprehensible

love of God for man. Jesus knew that we were to gain

by His humiliations: the greater His humiliations, the

greater our exaltation: this was His principle, and it led

Him to what seems like excess! Let us, then, love this

sacred sepulchre, which is to give us Life. We have
thanked Him for having died for us upon the Cross

;
let

i. 20).



48 Lent: Its Meaning and Purpose

us thank Him, but most feelingly, for having humbled

Himself, for our sakes, even to the tomb.

But now, dearest Jesus, it is time for Thee to rise

from Thy tomb, and re-unite Thy soul to Thy body;

heaven and earth await Thy Resurrection. The Church,

Thy Bride, has already sung the Alleluia of her glad ex-

pectation. Rise, then, from Thy grave, O Jesus, our Life

'

Triumph over death, and reign, our King forever']



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