Lent - Time of preparation
The Catholic Church calls us to meditate on the 40 days before the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time of fasting and prayer, following the preparation that Our Lord Jesus Himself had prior to his public ministry. Our Lord fasted for 40 days after He was baptized by John the Baptist. During that time He was tempted by Satan but He overcame all his temptations. In the desert of our lives, we must overcome the enemies of our souls with prayer and fasting. While physical fasting, that is, not having our complete food intake is something very beneficial to the soul and the spirit, the true fasting God is pleased with is helping other, giving alms, sacrificing ourselves for others. That is true fasting as it is said in Isaiah: Isa 58:2 Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. ...