| Traditional Roman Catholicism |
Customs For Lent
Religious Customs in the Family Fr. Francis X. Weiser
Nihl obststat John Eidenschink O.S.B., J.C.D.
Imprimatur Peter W. Bartholome, D.D. Bishop of St. Cloud October 7, 1956
Religious Customs in the Family Fr. Francis X. Weiser
Nihl obststat John Eidenschink O.S.B., J.C.D.
Imprimatur Peter W. Bartholome, D.D. Bishop of St. Cloud October 7, 1956
Lent is a period set aside by the Church for fasting, self-denial and prayer, in imitation of Our
Lord's fasting forty days and forty nights, and in preparation for the feast of Easter. It
comprises forty days, not including Sundays, from Ash Wednesday to the end of Holy
Saturday. According to the spirit and intention of the holy liturgy, Christian families observe
this time of grace with many religious customs. Some of them, which might be helpful and
appropriate in our modern homes, will be treated in the following pages.
Carnival
From the fourteen century on, the days before Ash Wednesday turned into a time of general
feasting and worldly celebration,, of eating, drinking, dancing, mummery, etc. Wherever these
amusements are traditionally held, they have been accompanied by many excesses and
abuses. Catholic families who live sections where Carnival is publicly kept might grant their
children some good natured and harmless enjoyment in the home, because the youngsters
will clamor for a share in the general rejoicing; and the home is the proper place to give it to
them.
At the same time however, it seems advisable to explain to the children that the spirit of
those days, despite the worldly Carnival revelries, is one of penance, devotion and atonement.
The Sunday Masses of pre-Lent ( Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays)
and the liturgical rules reflect this character. The Gloria is omitted in the Mass, purple
vestments are worn by the priests, and a more severe tone characterizes the various official
prayers.
In medieval times the faithful used to go to Confession on Tuesday before Ash
Wednesday, in preparation for Lent. That is why we call it " Shrove Tuesday " ( the day on
which people are " shriven"-absolved-from sins).
In 1748 Pope Benedict XIV instituted a special devotion for the three days preceding Lent,
in order to offer prayers and atonement for the many sins and scandals committed at Carnival
time. This devotion called " Forty Hours of Carnival," is still held in places where the carnival
frolics are of general tradition. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the churches all day.
For Catholics families who live in such places, it is a custom that one or two members visit
a church of exposition every day and spend some time in adoration, prayer and atonement
before the Eucharistic Lord, who is being seriously offended by many people during those
days.
Ash Wednesday
At the beginning of Lent the Church administers to her children the ancient sacramental of the
imposition of ashes.
These ashes are made by burning the blessed palms of the previous years. They are solemnly
blessed by the priest, then imposed on the heads of the faithful in the form of a cross, with the
words: " Remember, man, that thou are dust, and unto dust thou shalt return."
This ceremony is a symbol of penance and sorrow for our sins. In the early Christian
centuries, it was only used for public sinners, but around the year 1000 the popes and all the
faithful started to receive the ashes as a sincere and external token that we all are poor
sinners. These things should be explained to children, so they will benefit from the
understanding of the sacramental which they receive on Ash Wednesday. It should be a
powerful reminder for them that they must start a time of special penance and cleansing of
their hearts through prayer, contrition and self-denial.
On Ash Wednesday a family devotion might be held which expresses the spirit of the
season. Also, some external sign of Lent might be suitably be arranged in the home, like
removing all flowers from the family shrine, or replacing the statue of Christ by a crucifix, or
some other gesture of symbolic significance.
Fasting And Penance
The grown members of the family who are obliged to fast should explain the laws of Lenten
fasting and its purpose and meaning. Also, the term "penance" should be made clear to them.
It does not mean sacrifice and self denial in the first place, but " a change of heart," a victory
over sin and a striving for holiness. The sacrifices of fasting and self-denial are only means and
signs of this spiritual penance.
If children understand this well, they will not put the main effort in Lent on technical feats of
abstaining from pleasures ( which sometimes make them proud or vain ), but in faults. Only on
this basis, and with some little acts of self-denial like abstaining from certain delicacies
( candy, chocolate) or pleasures ( movies video games etc.).
It would seem a wholesome suggestion to make the children aware that it is a much better
penance to do what is necessary than to abstain from what is not necessary. " Obedience is
better than sacrifices."
( 1 Kings. 15:22). What good external acts of penance if a child, while abstaining from candy,
stubbornly fights every day against Mother's order to do the dishes or to perform some other
chores, and if he neglects his schoolwork or constantly harasses brothers and sisters with his
unfriendly behavior ?
Lenton Food
A traditional means of reminding the family that it is the holy season of Lent is the Lenten
foods, which are served only at this time of the year. Thus, parents and children realize, even
at their meals, that prayer and penance should be practiced during these days.
Apart from meats, anything might do as " Lenten food," so long as it is not usually prepared
in the same way during the rest of the year. In some countries it was customary to bake buns
with the indentation in the form of a cross (cross buns ). In other places, certain soups are
served only in Lent (bread soup, lentil soup, spinach soup, etc.). In other families, the desserts
are made without sugar frosting or whipped cream during Lent.( Or dessert may be entirely
omitted from meals.) There are many ways of indicating the holy season by the choice of
certain Lenten foods. Any one of them is good as long as it is reasonable in itself and serves
the purpose of reminding the family of Lent.
Perhaps the easiest, and at the same time the most significant, Lenten food custom for our
time might be to serve a small pretzel to every member of the family with his main meal in
Lent. It sounds surprising, but the pretzel has a deep spiritual meaning for Lent. In fact, it was
the ancient Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fifth century. In the old Roman Empire,
the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no
cream and of course, no meat. So they made small breads of water, flour and salt. To remind
themselves that Lent was a time of prayer, they shaped these breads in the form of arms
crossed in prayer ( in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying).
Therefore they called the breads " little arms"( bracellae) .
From this Latin word the Germans later coined the term "pretzel."
Thus the pretzel is the most appropriate food symbol in Lent. It still shows the form of arms
crossed in prayer, reminding us that Lent is a time of prayer. It consists only of water and flour,
thus proclaiming Lent as a time of fasting. Besides, it is a custom come down to us from the
early Christians, who had invented it as a bearer of such a great spiritual message. ( The
earliest picture and description of a pretzel from the fifth century may be found in the
manuscript codex No. 3867, Vatican Library.)
There seems to be no reason why our Catholic families should not return to this beautiful
custom of our ancient Roman fellow-Christians, especially since we still have these breads
around everywhere. The children will be delighted and greatly impressed when they hear the
true story of the pretzel. And such a pretzel at their dinner plate every day during Lent will
certainly proclaim its spiritual message as clearly and deeply to them as it did to many
Christian in ancient Rome.
Lord's fasting forty days and forty nights, and in preparation for the feast of Easter. It
comprises forty days, not including Sundays, from Ash Wednesday to the end of Holy
Saturday. According to the spirit and intention of the holy liturgy, Christian families observe
this time of grace with many religious customs. Some of them, which might be helpful and
appropriate in our modern homes, will be treated in the following pages.
Carnival
From the fourteen century on, the days before Ash Wednesday turned into a time of general
feasting and worldly celebration,, of eating, drinking, dancing, mummery, etc. Wherever these
amusements are traditionally held, they have been accompanied by many excesses and
abuses. Catholic families who live sections where Carnival is publicly kept might grant their
children some good natured and harmless enjoyment in the home, because the youngsters
will clamor for a share in the general rejoicing; and the home is the proper place to give it to
them.
At the same time however, it seems advisable to explain to the children that the spirit of
those days, despite the worldly Carnival revelries, is one of penance, devotion and atonement.
The Sunday Masses of pre-Lent ( Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays)
and the liturgical rules reflect this character. The Gloria is omitted in the Mass, purple
vestments are worn by the priests, and a more severe tone characterizes the various official
prayers.
In medieval times the faithful used to go to Confession on Tuesday before Ash
Wednesday, in preparation for Lent. That is why we call it " Shrove Tuesday " ( the day on
which people are " shriven"-absolved-from sins).
In 1748 Pope Benedict XIV instituted a special devotion for the three days preceding Lent,
in order to offer prayers and atonement for the many sins and scandals committed at Carnival
time. This devotion called " Forty Hours of Carnival," is still held in places where the carnival
frolics are of general tradition. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the churches all day.
For Catholics families who live in such places, it is a custom that one or two members visit
a church of exposition every day and spend some time in adoration, prayer and atonement
before the Eucharistic Lord, who is being seriously offended by many people during those
days.
Ash Wednesday
At the beginning of Lent the Church administers to her children the ancient sacramental of the
imposition of ashes.
These ashes are made by burning the blessed palms of the previous years. They are solemnly
blessed by the priest, then imposed on the heads of the faithful in the form of a cross, with the
words: " Remember, man, that thou are dust, and unto dust thou shalt return."
This ceremony is a symbol of penance and sorrow for our sins. In the early Christian
centuries, it was only used for public sinners, but around the year 1000 the popes and all the
faithful started to receive the ashes as a sincere and external token that we all are poor
sinners. These things should be explained to children, so they will benefit from the
understanding of the sacramental which they receive on Ash Wednesday. It should be a
powerful reminder for them that they must start a time of special penance and cleansing of
their hearts through prayer, contrition and self-denial.
On Ash Wednesday a family devotion might be held which expresses the spirit of the
season. Also, some external sign of Lent might be suitably be arranged in the home, like
removing all flowers from the family shrine, or replacing the statue of Christ by a crucifix, or
some other gesture of symbolic significance.
Fasting And Penance
The grown members of the family who are obliged to fast should explain the laws of Lenten
fasting and its purpose and meaning. Also, the term "penance" should be made clear to them.
It does not mean sacrifice and self denial in the first place, but " a change of heart," a victory
over sin and a striving for holiness. The sacrifices of fasting and self-denial are only means and
signs of this spiritual penance.
If children understand this well, they will not put the main effort in Lent on technical feats of
abstaining from pleasures ( which sometimes make them proud or vain ), but in faults. Only on
this basis, and with some little acts of self-denial like abstaining from certain delicacies
( candy, chocolate) or pleasures ( movies video games etc.).
It would seem a wholesome suggestion to make the children aware that it is a much better
penance to do what is necessary than to abstain from what is not necessary. " Obedience is
better than sacrifices."
( 1 Kings. 15:22). What good external acts of penance if a child, while abstaining from candy,
stubbornly fights every day against Mother's order to do the dishes or to perform some other
chores, and if he neglects his schoolwork or constantly harasses brothers and sisters with his
unfriendly behavior ?
Lenton Food
A traditional means of reminding the family that it is the holy season of Lent is the Lenten
foods, which are served only at this time of the year. Thus, parents and children realize, even
at their meals, that prayer and penance should be practiced during these days.
Apart from meats, anything might do as " Lenten food," so long as it is not usually prepared
in the same way during the rest of the year. In some countries it was customary to bake buns
with the indentation in the form of a cross (cross buns ). In other places, certain soups are
served only in Lent (bread soup, lentil soup, spinach soup, etc.). In other families, the desserts
are made without sugar frosting or whipped cream during Lent.( Or dessert may be entirely
omitted from meals.) There are many ways of indicating the holy season by the choice of
certain Lenten foods. Any one of them is good as long as it is reasonable in itself and serves
the purpose of reminding the family of Lent.
Perhaps the easiest, and at the same time the most significant, Lenten food custom for our
time might be to serve a small pretzel to every member of the family with his main meal in
Lent. It sounds surprising, but the pretzel has a deep spiritual meaning for Lent. In fact, it was
the ancient Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fifth century. In the old Roman Empire,
the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no
cream and of course, no meat. So they made small breads of water, flour and salt. To remind
themselves that Lent was a time of prayer, they shaped these breads in the form of arms
crossed in prayer ( in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying).
Therefore they called the breads " little arms"( bracellae) .
From this Latin word the Germans later coined the term "pretzel."
Thus the pretzel is the most appropriate food symbol in Lent. It still shows the form of arms
crossed in prayer, reminding us that Lent is a time of prayer. It consists only of water and flour,
thus proclaiming Lent as a time of fasting. Besides, it is a custom come down to us from the
early Christians, who had invented it as a bearer of such a great spiritual message. ( The
earliest picture and description of a pretzel from the fifth century may be found in the
manuscript codex No. 3867, Vatican Library.)
There seems to be no reason why our Catholic families should not return to this beautiful
custom of our ancient Roman fellow-Christians, especially since we still have these breads
around everywhere. The children will be delighted and greatly impressed when they hear the
true story of the pretzel. And such a pretzel at their dinner plate every day during Lent will
certainly proclaim its spiritual message as clearly and deeply to them as it did to many
Christian in ancient Rome.
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