As we undertake the Lenten journey, Fr Oswald McBride OSB shares insight from observing Lent as a monk at Ampleforth Abbey.
Q: Can you tell us a little about the importance of Lent?
Fr Oswald: "Easter is the greatest feast in the Church’s calendar, the feast of our salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ. Lent is important because we are preparing for that great feast with prayer and with fasting".
Q: What do the community do differently during Lent?
Fr Oswald: "St Benedict says that Lent is a period of joy and spiritual longing. As life can be routine, it is easy to take things for granted and so we offer something extra, whether that be less food, more prayer, less needless talking or less sleep. We approach life with a new sense of awareness and spiritual growth".
Q: Does your relationship with God or Jesus change during periods such as Lent?
Fr Oswald: "Yes and no. As St Benedict says, a monk’s life should be a continuous Lent, and so it doesn’t change but we become more focused and aware of the relationship. Many distractions are taken away, for example there are no flowers in the church during this period and in some churches their statues are covered. Stripping things away shows us not what we want but what we need. Our prayer, fasting and almsgiving put God and our neighbour at the very centre".
Q: Are you giving up something for Lent and do you all give up the same thing?
Fr Oswald: "No, we don’t all give up the same thing. We each choose what we think we should give up and we go to the Abbot for his advice and approval, so he can pray alongside us. We are not allowed to say what we are giving up as that is something that stays between yourself, the Abbot, and God".