{"id":167715,"date":"2026-02-13T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carfundacion.roymo.info\/blog\/la-cuaresma-que-es-y-que-significa-definicion-de-la-cuaresma-y-oraciones\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T13:57:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T12:57:28","slug":"la-cuaresma-significado-definicion-oraciones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/la-cuaresma-significado-definicion-oraciones\/","title":{"rendered":"Lent 2026: meaning, definition and prayers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Every year, during the forty days of Great Lent, the Church unites herself to the Mystery of Jesus in the desert.\" Catechism of the Catholic Church, 540<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Lent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The meaning of Lent comes from Latin\u00a0quadragesima<\/em>,\u00a0liturgical period of forty days reserved for the preparation for the Easter<\/a><\/strong>. Forty days in allusion to the 40 years that the people of Israel spent in the desert with Moses and the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert before beginning his public life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a preparation and conversion time<\/strong> to participate in the culminating moment of our liturgy, together with the entire Catholic Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Catechism, the Church proposes to follow the example of Christ in his desert retreat, in preparation for the Easter solemnities.<\/strong>. It is a particularly appropriate time for spiritual exercises<\/strong>the liturgies<\/strong> penitential, penitential pilgrimages<\/strong> as a sign of penitence, voluntary deprivations such as the fasting<\/strong> and the alms<\/strong>and the Christian communication of goods by means of charitable and missionary works<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This effort of conversion is the movement of the contrite heart, attracted and moved by the grace to to respond to the merciful love of God who has loved us first<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We cannot consider this Lent as just another season, a cyclical repetition of the liturgical season. This moment is unique; it is a divine help to be welcomed. Jesus passes by our side and expects from us - today, now - a great change.<\/strong>\u00a0It is Christ who passes by, 59, St. Josemar\u00eda.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When does Lent begin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The imposition of ashes<\/strong> on the foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday, is the beginning of this road<\/strong>. It constitutes a invitation to conversion and penance<\/strong>. It is an invitation to go through the Lenten season as a more conscious and intense immersion in the paschal mystery of Jesus, in his death and resurrection, through participation in the Eucharist and in the life of charity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The time of\u00a0Lent ends on Holy Thursday<\/strong>before the\u00a0Mass<\/a>\u00a0in coena Domini<\/em>\u00a0(the Lord's Supper), which begins the\u00a0Easter Triduum, Good Friday and Glory Saturday<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During these days we look inside ourselves and we assimilate the mystery of the Lord<\/strong> being tempted in the desert<\/strong> by Satan and his going up to Jerusalem for his Passion, Death,<\/strong> Resurrection and Ascension to the Heavens<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We remember that we must convert and believe in the Gospel and that we are dust, sinful men, creatures and not God.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00abWhat better way to begin Lent? We renew faith, hope, charity. This is the source of the spirit of penance, of the desire for purification. Lent is not only an occasion to intensify our external practices of mortification: if we were to think that it is only that, we would miss its deep meaning in the Christian life, because those external acts are - I repeat-<\/strong> fruit of faith, hope and love\u00bb.<\/strong>\u00a0It is Christ who passes by, 57<\/a>, St. Josemar\u00eda<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"cuaresma<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to live Lent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lent can be experienced through the sacrament of Confession, prayer and positive attitudes.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholics\u00a0we prepare for<\/strong>\u00a0the key events of\u00a0the Easter<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0through the pillars of the\u00a0prayer, fasting and almsgiving<\/strong>. These guide us in our daily reflection on our own life while\u00a0we strive to deepen our relationship with God and with our neighbor<\/strong>no matter what part of the world the neighbor lives in. Lent is a time of personal and spiritual growth, a time to look outward and inward. It is a time of mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repentance and Confession<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a time of penitence, Lent is a season of\u00a0is a good time for confession<\/a><\/strong>. It is not obligatory, nor is there any mandate from the Church to do so, but it fits very well with the words of the Gospel that repeats the priest<\/a> on Ash Wednesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remember that dust you are and to dust you shall return<\/em>\u00bb.\u00a0\u00abConvert and believe in the Gospel<\/em>\u00bb. In these holy words there is a common element:\u00a0the conversion<\/strong>. And this\u00a0is only possible with repentance and a change of life.<\/strong>. Therefore, confession during Lent is a practical way of\u00a0ask God's forgiveness for our sins and start over again.<\/strong>. The ideal way to begin this exercise of introspection is through an examination of conscience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Penance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Penance, the Latin translation of the Greek word \"metanoia\"<\/em> which in the Bible means the conversion of the sinner<\/em>. Designates an entire all the interior and exterior acts aimed at the reparation of the committed sin<\/strong>and the resulting state of affairs for the sinner. Literally change of life, it is said of the act of the sinner who returns to God after having been far from Him, or of the unbeliever who attains faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Converting is reconciliation with God<\/strong>We are to turn away from evil in order to establish friendship with the Creator. Once in grace, after confession and what it implies, we must set out to change from within everything that does not please God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To concretize the desire for conversion, it is possible to do the following conversion works<\/strong>such as, for example: Attending the sacraments<\/strong>to overcome divisions, to forgive and to grow in a fraternal spirit; practicing the Works of Mercy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fasting and abstinence<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Church invites its faithful to\u00a0observance of the precept of fasting and abstinence<\/strong>\u00a0of flesh, compendium of the Catechism, 432.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fasting<\/strong> consists of eating only one meal a day, although it is possible to eat a little less than usual in the morning and evening. Except in case of illness. It invites to live the fast, to all the adults, until they are fifty-nine years old. Both on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is called abstinence<\/strong> to abstain from eating meat on Fridays of Lent. The abstinence can begin from the age of fourteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care should be taken not to live fasting or abstinence as a minimum, but as a concrete way in which our Holy Mother Church helps us to grow in the true spirit of penance and joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Holy Father's Message for Lent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pope Francis proposed that \u00abin this time of conversion let us renew our faith, let us quench our thirst with the \u201cliving water\u201d of hope and let us receive God's love with an open heart<\/strong>\u00a0which makes us brothers and sisters in Christ\u00bb (Rome, St. John Lateran, November 11, 2020, memorial of St. Martin of Tours<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this journey of preparation for the night of Easter, in which, Francis reminds us, we will renew the promises of our Baptism, \"to be reborn as new men and women\":<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Faith<\/strong> calls us to embrace the Truth and to be witnesses, before God and before our brothers and sisters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Esperanza<\/strong> as \"living water\" that allows us to continue on our journey<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Charity<\/strong>The life lived in the footsteps of Christ, showing care and compassion for each person, is the highest expression of our faith and our hope.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The Pope also emphasizes the great difficulties we are going through as humanity, especially in this time of pandemic, \"in which everything seems fragile and uncertain\" and where \"to speak of hope could seem like a provocation\". But\u00a0Where to find that hope?<\/strong>\u00a0Precisely \u00abin the recollection and silence of prayer<\/strong>\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Prayers for Lent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Prayer with an open heart is the best preparation for Easter. We can read and reflect on the Gospel, we can pray by doing the Stations of the Cross<\/a>. We can turn to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and follow the liturgical celebrations with the Roman Missal. The important thing is that we encounter the unconditional love that is Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u00abLord Jesus, by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free. During this Lent,
    lead us by your Holy Spirit to live more faithfully in Christian freedom. Through prayer,
    increase in charity and the disciplines of this sacred Season, bring us closer to You.
    Purify the intentions of my heart so that all my Lenten practices may be for the good of my soul.
    your praise and glory. Grant that by our words and actions,
    we can be faithful messengers of the Gospel message to a world in need of the
    hope of your mercy. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Table of Contents<\/h2>