this is an e-mail I sent to my small group this evening regarding Lent. i do not go into a great deal of depth, but it is a decent cursory overview.
We don’t talk about Lent much at my church, but many of its members celebrate it. Lent is a 40-day period of fasting and spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter. It begins today, which is called “Ash Wednesday.” “Fat Tuesday” and “Mardi Gras,” which ended yesterday, are derived from Lent as well…think of them as a “last-chance-to-go-crazy” sort of thing. The British eat pancakes. I’m not sure what to make of that. Lent ends on Easter Sunday (April 16), the most significant holiday on the liturgical calendar. There’s a big party and a huge feast. Eat your heart out, Santa.
It’s not just a Catholic observance, but rather a tradition observed by Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians alike. The history behind this tradition is very rich; it is almost 1700 years old. It was first instituted by the Council of Nicea in 325 AD along with the Nicene Creed, which we’ve recited at Connexion and ECC a few times. Though the ways in which Lent is observed have changed a lot, the purposes remain the same: self-reflection, prayer, and a heightened devotion to Christ.
Today, we have the opportunity to revive a central piece of church history. It is not “Biblical” in the sense that Christ instituted Lent and commanded His followers to observe it. Instead, it is one way that Christians throughout time have sought to bring the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to the front of their minds.
During this 40-day period, most will choose to fast by giving something up. This can be pretty much anything…soda, coffee, ice cream, music, TV, a bad habit — whatever they feel called to lay down as a sacrifice to the Lord. Some choose not to eat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as well.
In Matthew 6:16, Christ says:
“When you fast, don’t pretend to look sad like the hypocrites. When they fast, they look dirty on purpose so they will shine before others. They’ve already received their reward! Instead, when you fast, wash your face and comb your hair. This way, you’ll shine quietly before God, not before others. Your Father who sees how quietly you fast will reward you.”
Though lent is a communal holiday in that it is usually celebrated by groups of people (not individuals), the act of sacrificing something is usually understood as being between oneself and God. It’s a great opportunity for spiritual growth. During this time, I’ll send out e-mails to anyone who is interested in celebrating Lent. If you want to receive these e-mails, leave a comment or drop me an e-mail. I might also post them here — but then, e-mail is so much more personal, isn’t it?
Want to learn more? Don Goldman, the pastor at a church whose sermons I follow rather closely (Mars Hill/Grand Rapids, MI) spoke last Sunday on the topic; it’s an incredible message. You can download it here. Mars Hill also produced a “Lent Book” to read and pray through over the season in conjunction with their message series. You can download a copy from their web site at http://www.mhbcmi.org.
I will be going to St. Charles’ Ash Wednesday mass (3rd and High St. (map), the church next to ECC) at 10:00 am. Some friends are attending the 7:00 pm service. Feel free to join us; leave a comment or drop me an e-mail if you’d like to come along. You can “start Lent late” too, if you like; don’t worry if you’ve already done what you’ve decided to give up if you decide to celebrate the holiday.
Happy Ash Wednesday, everyone!
grace and peace,
c. scott andreas
