---

"Behold, now is a very acceptable time" (2 Cor 6:2).

Lent is graced time, an "acceptable time," to grow, to change, to seek more earnestly. It is not private time. It is the time of the entire Church to reform - for reforming.

Perhaps Lent is too much an intrusion into our daily routine and we prefer to ignore it. We are always willing to postpone good things; but bad things, we do right away.

We would like to postpone faith, hope and love - to put them over the horizon and into the future. But fear, greed and anger, we attend to immediately.

Many customs, traditions and foods are associated with the 40 days of Lent. One is the pretzel. Historically, in the Catholic Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape.

Pretzels made using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent, when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter.

As time passed, pretzels became associated with both Lent and Easter. Pretzels were hidden on Easter morning just as eggs are hidden today.

The pretzel's three-hole shape is claimed to picture the arms crossed in prayer. The three legs of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent is the time of prayer - not more prayer, but better prayer.

What's the perfect Lenten prayer? Daily Mass. When did you last find yourself at Mass other than a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning? Consult your local church for the time of daily Mass; make a resolution to attend daily Mass 10 times during Lent.

The Lenten daily Masses are ancient. The specially-chosen Scriptures during the 40 days mark the final days of instruction for catechumens who are received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Each Mass during the early days of Lent has a specific instruction or lesson.

Study the Scriptures for each day of Mass during the 40 days, and you'll be enrolled in a powerful course. Try to identify personally and intimately with what you hear. This is the ancient discipline of "lectio divina," which has five parts:

• accept the Word in a fresh way;

• understand the Word in a new way;

• test the Word in a new way;

• pray the Word in a personal way;

• act on the Word in a new way.

"Behold, now is an acceptable time." Happy Lent-ing !

(Father Rosson is pastor of St. Mary's parish in Cooperstown.)[[In-content Ad]]

---