This year’s lenten season commences on Wednesday, March 1, with Christians expected to attend church services, especially masses, to receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing the vanity of life.
The 40 days lenten season which begins Wednesday, will end with Easter on April 16.
Lent is a period of repentance, prayer and fasting, and features reflection on the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert to prepare himself before beginning his public ministry.
Pope Francis in his lenten message urged Christians to see the other person as a gift to mankind deserving acceptance and respect.
Especially, Pope Francis called for reflection on Christ’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
“Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life.”
“Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor.”
“Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter,” Pope Francis said.
