Lent
Did you know…
…that the original period of Lent was 40 hours? It was spent in fasting to commemorate the suffering of Christ and the 40 hours he spent in the tomb.
…that in the very early days of the Church, it was a time to prepare for baptism, which took place on Easter Eve?
…that by early in the 3rd century, Lenten observance was extended to 60 days? It was around 800 A.D. that it was changed to 40 days, not including Sundays. Why? Perhaps to correspond to Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness.
…that the earliest Lent can begin is February 5th? That happened in 1818.
…that the latest Lent can start is March 10th? That will not occur again until the year 2038.
…that the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins is Shrove Tuesday, celebrated by many with a feast? You may know it as Mardi Gras. This tradition comes from the need to use up the fatty foods in the house before the 40 days of fasting.
While these facts are informative, they are not what is important about Lent. The most important fact about Lent is this: Christ Jesus died on a cross for our redemption. This is the time Christians set aside to reflect on what Christ’s death means for us. It is the time to prepare ourselves for our spiritual journey with Jesus toward his cross and resurrection; in the meantime, we live in a world which enchants us with offers of instant gratification and easy paths to self-indulgence. Lent reminds us that Christ’s Way is not the world’s way.
Many will be in church come Easter Sunday, but Easter will mean much more for those who walk daily with Jesus to Easter morning. This is the importance of Lent.