Tomorrow, Wednesday, 14th February 2024, marks the commencement of the holy season of Lent for the Catholic Church: 40 days of prayer and penance in preparation for the celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna will preside over the Ash Wednesday Mass, which will include the blessing and the placing of ashes, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Sarria) in Floriana. The Mass starts at 9:30am and will be broadcast on TVM, Church.mt and Newsbook.com.mt.
In his Lenten message for this year, Pope Francis emphasises that Lent is the “time to act, and in Lent, to act also means to pause. To pause in prayer, in order to receive the word of God, to pause like the Samaritan in the presence of a wounded brother or sister. Love of God and love of neighbour are one love. Not to have other gods is to pause in the presence of God beside the flesh of our neighbour. For this reason, prayer, almsgiving and fasting are not three unrelated acts, but a single movement of openness and self-emptying, in which we cast out the idols that weigh us down, the attachments that imprison us. Then the atrophied and isolated heart will revive. Slow down, then, and pause!”
Throughout Lent, the Church encourages Christians to read the Word of God and participate in the sacraments and spiritual exercises. Everyone is encouraged to visit the website hinijiet.knisja.mt to find updated dates and times of Lenten and Holy Week celebrations and activities in parishes in Malta. The website will be updated continually during Lent.
Moreover, during this period, one can also access beHOLD.mt, beKids.mt and soter.church.mt which include prayers and resources related to Lent.