| Lent
The idea that Easter should
be proceeded by a time of preparation won acceptance in the fourth
century, and a period of forty days was favored because this duration of
time had been sanctified in Holy Writ.
These forty days of fasting were counted from the Easter Triduum,
that is beginning from Maundy Thursday and going backwards.
This established our present First Sunday of Lent as the
beginning. As a matter of
fact this Sunday is still designated in the liturgy as “the beginning
of Lent” by the reference quadragesimale
initium in the secret prayer of the
Mass.
It is in this Mass also
that we find the first mention of the number “forty,” which occurs
again in the masses during the week.
And it is on this Sunday that the breviary begins its Lenten
order; for the Pars Verna spring volume) starts here, and not on Ash Wednesday.
From
Joseph Jungmann S. J., Liturgist. |
