Why do the Ember Days coincide with Lent? It is fitting to "kick off" the Lenten season with the Ember Days since they are days that manifest the spirit of Lent - prayer, penance, fasting, and abstinence. These Ember Days, deep in Catholic culture and history, help strengthen the conversion of our hearts to God.
Everything we read in the missal during this Lenten Embertide is about one thing: fast and abstinence. For example, "...look down O Lord upon the devotion of thy people whose bodies are mortified by abstinence." or "...if the wicked do penance for all his sins ...living he will live and will not die."
Lenten Embertide is the time to realize our fallen nature and sinful inclinations. Like the poor leper, who threw himself at the feet of Our Lord asking to be healed, let us come to the feet of Our Lord this Lent by means of prayer, penance, fasting, and abstinence to prepare ourselves for the solemn feast of Easter.
Teach your children the story of the Cleansing of the Leper this Lent!
