Getting the Most Out of Lent

This final week of Lent on From the Housetops, Brother Matthew calls us to enter seriously into the Church’s spirit of penance and self-denial as we prepare for the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord. He reminds us that sin offends God’s infinite goodness and that Christ, having made expiation for us, calls us to respond through penance. We owe this both to God and to ourselves: to make reparation for our sins, to fulfill the promises we make, and to strengthen our souls against temptation. Through self-denial, we combat concupiscence, purify our hearts, and begin to detach from sin, mindful that every fault carries consequences and that now is the time to make satisfaction.

Brother Matthew also brings to our attention that we must take seriously this time of preparation, embracing prayer, fasting, sacrifice, and the faithful acceptance of daily crosses as coming from the hand of God. A life of penance strengthens us against sin and prepares us to die well, opening the way to eternal life. Listen to this episode of From the Housetops and enter more deeply into the spirit of Lent, allowing these truths to shape your soul and draw you closer to God.