giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven
Ummm...Catholics are not forgiven for giving something up during Lent. Forgiveness involves repentance--a complete turning away from sin without any intent to return to it in the future.
If one is trying to turn away from a sin, Lent is a good launching pad. Think about it. Even secular advisors note that it take six weeks (which coincidentally is the length of Lent) to turn away from a bad habit (or sin).
Lent is a discipline. It focuses on examining our walk with Christ and what we can do to improve it. Fasting has a way of making itself felt and that in turn reminds us of why we are fasting. Also there is the part that many give the money they save from fasting to the poor, reminding us to love and care for others, including the poor.
The reason I said "
If it is about penance" is because that is what I read when I looked up lent from a Catholic perspective. It mentioned penance. Can you define penance, in your own words?
In response to what you said about lent being a launching pad, or a way to get rid of a bad habit or sin… I agree that it's good to try to give up a vice or sin, but there are a couple problems with this. First, from what I've seen, it seems that people will say they're going to give up something for lent but then after that they go right back to their old ways. So, it seems to be more a religious thing, just going through the motions because everyone else is doing it....which is not what God wants from us. Also, it seems to support a works-based mentality, which is misleading, when it comes to what truly matters. (But I don't want to get into a big debate on that, at least not here and now.)
As far as improving one's walk with Christ... For some, lent seems to be about telling others what one is giving up. (As Mortimer did) Jesus said to do the opposite, He said fasting shouldn't be done to make it obvious to others, but in secret, only for God. (Matt 6:16-18)
That same principle is found throughout the bible, as you can see in the Old Testament as well, like in
Zechariah 7 and Isaiah 58. The "fast" that God says He wants is in bold:
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
You mentioned giving the money one saved from lent, to the poor... that's good. I was just bringing up my thoughts, based on what I've seen many people do. It's almost like New Year's resolutions, giving something up for a few weeks, but then going back to how we were before. Setting the topic of lent aside for a moment, the bottom line is, God wants us to be born again, completely renewed in a permanent way which means the changes and "works" will come naturally over time, as a result of spiritual birth and regeneration.
Trying to be good on our own strength does not work. It never has and it never will. Trying to do good works if one is still in their natural state is like spraying perfume on a corpse. Spiritual birth is essential and that is what brings radical change and transformation that is not temporary but forever.
