Lent is a return to prayer, fasting and almsgiving

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Fr. Joseph Kirumira of Karooli Lwanga Catholic Church, Ntinda, has issued a powerful call to the faithful this Lenten season, urging a return to the "essentials" of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to navigate a world increasingly defined by "noise, ambition, and anxiety."

In an interview with The New Vision, Fr. Kirumira emphasised that while Lent is a time for penance, its primary purpose is to provide a "sacred space" for intellectual and spiritual reformation.

“Prayer, in particular, reforms and strengthens our intellect so that it may once again be ordered toward God,” Fr. Kirumira stated. He noted that modern distractions often scatter the human mind, but the disciplines of Lent allow God to "reshape the way we think and see."

The priest outlined these three guidelines to prayer for believers in Lent:

• Vocal Prayer: He described this as the foundation of faith, noting that Catholic traditional prayers remind the faithful that "faith is received, not invented." This humble repetition, he argued, clears away pride and aligns the intellect with eternal truths.
• Meditation: Encouraging a deeper reflection on Scripture—particularly the Passion of Christ—Fr. Kirumira urged believers to let divine truth penetrate their reasoning. "Lent is a time to wrestle honestly with the Word of God," he said, calling for a disciplined mind that conforms its choices to the Divine will.
• Contemplative Prayer: Finally, he pointed toward the silence of contemplation, where the intellect rests in God’s presence. He described these moments as "small anticipations" of the vision of God, intended to purify the mind and prepare the heart in preparation for the joy of Easter. 

Fr. Kirumira concluded by reminding the community that their ultimate purpose is eternal communion with God, a goal made clearer through the three pillars.