If you think of Lent and Easter as a long walk through a large Gothic Church with the bulk of Lent the nave, Maundy Thursday/Good Friday at the altar, and Eastertide at the Tabernacle where we find the Risen One in the Breaking of the Bread, we stand today, the Friday after Ash Wednesday, still in the entry way. The Church has slowly became more and more aware of her need for conversion and the fruits of our Lenten penance.
Today's Collect is pretty striking of where we have come since Wednesday (btw "collect", for those just going your regularly scheduled program, is the opening prayer for Mass and the closing prayer for the Daily Offices. It sums up or "collects" the intentions of the Body of Christ and offers them up as one prayer to the Father. It really gives us a huge glimpse into the intentions of the whole Church today as well as some deep theology. If you really want to know what the Church believes, listen how she prays). So, today's collect:
Ancient Translation
Look down with favor, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon the fast we have begun, that fulfilling this observance with our body we may accomplish it with a sincere heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Book of Common Prayer
Support us, O Lord, with your gracious favor through the fast we have begun; that as we observe it by bodily self-denial, so we may fulfill it with inner sincerity of heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Roman Missal (New Translation)
Accompany with gracious favor, Lord, we pray,
the works of penance we have begun,
that we may have strength to accomplish with pure minds
the observance we undertake with our bodies.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God,
for ever and ever
As you can see, the Church has now taken up our Lenten observance with prayer and fasting. But, it is just not in doing the outward gestures that matter, but the inner heart. The Fast that the Lord requires is one of humble contrite spirit. Fasting keeps us in "check" so to speak. This prayer acknowledges that need. What we are doing in our bodies is an outward gesture of what should be happening on the inside: getting rid of anything that is not Him. So go to Mass, pray the Office, and make this prayer your own today. When you are crunching on your fish or fasting in whatever way the Lord is asking, you can say "Lord make my heart match my outward fasting." It is only then that fasting doesn't become a chore, but a love and a plunge deeper into the Mystery.
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