This year, Feb. 14 will mark the beginning of the season of Lent. According to USA Today, Lent signifies the period of 40 days where Jesus wandered through the desert, praying and fasting following his baptism. As such, each year, Christians around the world honor this time through their own journey through prayer and fasting.
Claudia Stevens, president of Catholic L.I.F.E. , explained more about this season and how NSU students can celebrate Lent.
What is the importance and significance of Lent?
“Lent is a time of personal reflection of one’s faith. It is encouraged throughout the year to make this a [regular] thing in a person’s life; to deeply take a look at your faith to see if you are actively being faithful and have a relationship with God and Jesus. However, it is understood that people are human, make mistakes, sin, and obviously forget or don’t have time to do this everyday. That is why Lent is especially important.”
“It is like the time when Jesus was tested with his faith and had to really look into himself to see his commitment to who He was, before giving up His body to die on a cross. We, too, must look inward to see if we are really bonding through our faith with the Lord, and to allow ourselves to see that if we aren’t, we are given this chance through the sacrifices we make during Lent.”
Is Catholic L.I.F.E. hosting any events to recognize this season?
“Well, [throughout] the year we have our meetings. These used to be on campus, but are now at Saint David’s Catholic Church after the 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. masses where there is also free food and donuts. At these meetings, students can expect to learn new information about possible e-board positions, prayers and bond with the group members.”
“We will also be having movie nights, conferences, a fish fry at Saint David’s Catholic Church, and a College Legislative Liaison Program for leaders. Anyone interested can find out more information in the emails we sent through our listserv, by emailing me [at cs2443@mynsu.nova.edu] or by attending our gatherings after masses.”
Do students have to be Catholic to participate?
“No, the word “Catholic” itself means “universal” and we are, therefore, open to all students from any faith background. We also love to collaborate on events with organizations of different faiths, so if anyone is interested in doing an event, they can definitely email me.”
“Plus, Catholic L.I.F.E. also has started a mass carpooling initiative so anyone who needs a ride to mass can contact me. Also, if anyone with a car would be interested in making our group bigger by helping students get to mass with us, they can also reach out to me.”
What do you hope students will take away from these events?
“We hope that students will know we are here for them, and if they need prayer for anything we will be sure to help. We want to help students grow in their faith and if students are concerned about their faith while in college, we want to help guide them along the way.”
“We also hope that students, no matter their faith or background which they come from, will become curious about who we are and come to more of our events.”
