EXTRA

LENTEN FUSS – WHY OBSERVE LENT?

Why all the fuss about Lent? Some folks of another generation might be thinking – Lent! Isn’t that what Catholics do? And then younger generations are confounded by the whole concept. And so there is much confusion on the meaning of Lent and why we practice certain disciplines during that season in the Christian yearly cycle.

Lent is a term used in old English, that word being lencten, meaning spring. The Christian Church has given its meaning greater emphasis. The season extends for 46 days, starting with Ash Wednesday and ending with the eve of Easter. Sometimes referred to as the Forty Days of Lent, Sundays are excluded. Sundays are the weekly commemoration of the first Easter, and then are not counted as days for fasting.

The roots of Lent go to the days of the primitive or underground church. Those were the early days of the growing movement of believers in the first century. Those wishing to become members of this movement were given instruction over a long period of time with the intent of having them baptized into the way of Christ on Easter. The last leg of the instruction was a period of preparation symbolic of the 40 days of fasting that Jesus did in the wilderness immediately after his baptism. Eventually this period became a time for all Christians to prepare for Easter.

Lent is a season for preparation and reflection. It is a period of penitence. To be penitent is to have remorse for our sins and to seek renewal. Believers are encouraged to consider the meaning of the cross and the Savior’s sacrificial act of taking our sin upon himself, especially during Holy Week, the final week before Easter. Therefore emphasis is upon looking to the spiritual disciplines that have us prepare our hearts for renewed blessing when Easter arrives. In a sense we prepare the way for the Lord to come again to us in his resurrection glory. Fasting or doing without is intended to bring us ever closer to the Lord.

My learning on fasting is that at its core our doing without, that is that we 'give up' something to discipline ourselves to focus attention upon the Lord. In this time of reflection in Lent, we in essence have an inner conversation with God.  When we practice the discipline of fasting, there comes the moments of hunger or the longing for 'thing we give up for Lent.' When the sweet tooth rings loud and clear in our heads that we have to have it, or we hear the stomach growl - it is precisely at that moment - when we are vulnerable to giving in to the temptation. This ‘trips’ a switch within our minds to pause and think of the Lord and his sacrifice for us.

Consider that he gave up his place in glory to walk humbly among us - now that is sacrifice!  There are occasions that I practice fasting. For example, when a challenging time is coming, when I must draw ever closer to the Lord, or when I know that the Lord is bringing me to that need so that I might be in a listening mode, I fast. I get those hunger pangs or think of eating something, then those thoughts have me pause and shift my attention to my fasting discipline. It then becomes a moment of deeper appreciation, thanking my Lord for the gift of salvation and his working in me.  So as I am conscious of my human want, I remember why I am sacrificing, and then I am awakened to Jesus and his giving of self for me. 

Some folks cannot fast for health reasons - but we can all become conscious of giving up something for Lent in order that God may speak to us.  Pam, my wife, usually gives up ice cream. When she thinks of ice cream that it causes her to turn her thoughts to the Lord.

One final point about Lent! Instead of our doing without or giving up, perhaps we could meditate upon our giving in to God in a time of prayer daily. In this way we prepare ourselves for God to move us even closer to his grace, so that by the time Easter Sunday comes we have been made more aware of God’s love working in us. It is our disciplining ourselves to be more awakened to Jesus Christ in our lives that makes Lent a season worthy to observe.