If ones does the math - more than forty days between Ash Wednesday and the Triduum when Lent officially ends. Why the extra days? The period of Lent was originally much shorter - a special time for those preparing to enter the Church at Easter - expanded to forty days of - prayer - fasting - sacrifice - to reflect the forty days Jesus spent in the desert. Those forty days - along with Sundays - always considered - Little Easter - celebration of New Life - for a complete Lenten experience. Because Sundays are not viewed as penance days they are not included in the forty days - adding six more days to the period of time. This explains why some who have sworn to give up certain things - candy - alcohol - will consume these things on Sundays since they are not technically days of Lent. One can argue that a promise of abstinence applies to every single day from Ash Wednesday to Easter - others taking advantage of the reality that Sundays are not Lenten days - enjoy those things they have given up for the other six days of the week.
Jesus spent His forty days in the desert - did not break His fast because of Shabbat - the Sabbath - during that time. In His time - the Holy Day - always a day of rest - avoiding work - not the same as Sundays celebrated by Christians. Christianity did not evolve until after His death and resurrection - no comparison to how we observe the forty days of Lent. As faithful Christians - observing Lent - all days - including Sundays - should take on a more serious practice of our faith. Celebrating the Sundays of Lent should take us deeper into our Lenten experience - not remove the deeper level of devotion observed during the other days of the week. As Christians - as faithful disciples - we should never say - some days don't count - rather every day of our life should count more - every day - drawing ourselves - deeper into our relationship with Jesus - God - Our Father. No vacation days ever - from God.
Deacon Dale
