Commonly recognized by the Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations, people who observe the practice do so for renewal, repentance and prayer before Easter. It is to honor the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert before his ministry began, and the 40 years of wandering the Israelites did in the desert after leaving Egypt.

Father Kyle Tietz, associate pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, said Lent is very important for Catholic residents of Marshalltown.

“It’s a significant portion of the population,” he said. “Many of our Christian brothers and sisters also observe Lent, to different degrees. It’s one of the seasons of the year where people have a good sense of a time of renewal, beginning and repentance.”

At St. Francis, Tietz said many congregants begin Lent by attending the Ash Wednesday service during which they have a cross marked on their foreheads with ash. The practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent is almost “in their DNA to recognize the time of doing something extra for the Lord in preparation for the season of Easter.”

Artwork inside St. Francis in Marshalltown depicts two of the scenes of the Stations of the Cross. It is a depiction of 14 specific events leading up to the death of Jesus Christ, starting with his condemnation and ending with laying him in the tomb.

St. Francis hosts special events during Lent, such as the previous Stations of the Cross at St. Mary’s, St. Henry’s and an upcoming one at the Immaculate Conception Church in Haverhill on April 10.

“We’re getting close to Holy Week, so we will have Palm Sunday [on April 13], representing Jesus entering Jerusalem shortly before his passion and death,” Tietz said. “We celebrate that with palms. Oftentimes we take the palms from previous years and burn them down to ashes to use for the next Ash Wednesday. Kids always have memories of it. They wave the palms around or harass their siblings, too.”

He said there will be special liturgies for Holy Thursday, marking the day of the Last Supper of Jesus and his apostles; Good Friday during which the cross will be referenced; and the Saturday before Easter on April 20.

“It’s anticipating Easter morning, and when people who are receiving sacraments or joining the Catholic church gather,” Tietz said. “It’s a liturgy that goes through all salvation history. It’s like a two, three-hour affair. It starts outside with a fire, we enter the church in darkness. We hear several readings in scripture of salvation history. The lights come on and then people receive sacraments. It’s joy and celebration. There’s no glorias or hallelujahs during Lent, and it all comes back.”

How a person practices Lent is up to him or her, according to Tietz. He said the 40-day period could end on different days, depending on whether or not people want to include Sundays.

Observers engage in Lenten sacrifice, which is giving up a chosen luxury for 40 days. Or, doing something extra for the 40 days.

“We’ve done a good job of encouraging in the past years of moving away from just giving something up,” Tietz said. “Giving something up creates a space, and we can fill that space with practice or devotion.”

For people who are unsure what to sacrifice, he suggested they reflect and pray on whatever might be taking them away from the Lord, from their responsibilities or their families. Marshalltown practitioners tend to give up something they are attached to, he said. That could be coffee, smartphones, alcohol or television.

“I hear people sharing about their extra prayer devotion, meditation every day,” Tietz said. “That’s really good to hear. Not only are they fasting and creating a space, but they are filling that space with prayer.”

He has noticed Marshalltown people are really good about observing the days of abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all of the Fridays during Lent. That is why fish has been more prevalent.

“There are great alternatives these days, great fish deals and creates a space for fish dinners and fish fries for people to gather together,” Tietz said, laughing. “We have fish dinners on Fridays over at St. Francis in the school gymnasium. It’s a tangible thing. It’s not the greatest sacrifice ever made for the Lord, but it’s something concrete for Catholics. It’s something we experience as kids.”

He also said there is no fixed rule that a person must last the entire 40 days. If someone does not engage in the something extra, or indulges in the luxury, it can be viewed as an opportunity to pick it up again.

“It’s like Jesus walking with the cross,” Tietz said. “He fell, but he got back up.”

As Lent is more than halfway over, he said people are starting to “feel” it.

“Everyone is good about starting off well,” Tietz said. “The spiritual life is about beginning, and beginning again.”

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.