#3: Do Sundays in Lent "count" as Lent?
The 40 days of lent signify the 1/10th of the year given back to God as tithe. Sundays are not included in that count. What's more, feast days during lent, such as Feb 22: Chair of St. Peter and Mar 19: St. Joseph are to be celebrated with joy and external celebrations. Sundays are also considered feast days. JPII once said: Sunday "is Easter which returns week by week."
In short, Psalm 118 should guide our living of feast days and Sundays always, even during lent: "This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it."
As I understand, it is not all feasts but only solemn feasts (Solemnities) that allow dispensation from Lenten observances. That would include Sundays, but not the Fast of the Chair of St. Peter.
ReplyDelete