Lent? Nine questions to ask.

Is Lent something we should mark – nine questions to ask.

Today (Tuesday 9^th February) is Shrove Tuesday.  It is celebrated in some countries, like the UK by consuming pancakes.  In others, especially those where it is called Mardi Gras, this is a carnival day.  It is the last day of "gorging" before the fasting period of Lent.  The expression "Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "absolve". Shrove Tuesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Roman Catholics, who "make a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with."  Or at least that’s what it has traditionally been for!

The term Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lent season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

What is ‘Lent’?

Lent, the 40 day period of ‘going without’ between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday is a tradition in which Christians prepare for the celebration of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  It is a way of creating a sense of loss, hunger, grief and soberness as a backdrop to which the death and resurrection of Jesus shines even more brightly and gloriously.  Historically it was often brutal – close to a strict Ramadam than to the chocolate, alcohol, caffeine and social media ‘fasts’ that characterise today’s lent.

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow (Wednesday 10^th February).

What does ‘lent’ mean?

The word lent comes from the Old English "lencten", meaning ‘length’ (as in the lengthening of the days) and the Anglo-Saxon name for March, "lenct”.  Both are a reference to Spring, when Lent falls in the Western Europe. 

Lent Traditionally

Lent included a commitment to giving up significant requirements in daily life. The Stations of the Cross, a devotional commemoration of Christ's execution, were observed. Churches might remove flowers and crucifixes were veiled.  Lent is traditionally described as lasting for forty days, in commemoration of the forty cruel days which Jesus spent fasting in the desert earlier in his life.

Lent Culturally

In the UK the last remaining cultural marker of Lent is probably the commercialised ‘Pancake Day’.  It is also marked by health companies who calculate your weight loss after 40 days without chocolate or run 40 day Lent fitness boot-camps!

Lent Biblically

There is no reference in the Bible to Lent.  It is not something the Bibles says or suggests Christians should do.  It is entirely an ‘additional’ element which may or may not be helpful.

Is marking ‘Lent’ a good idea?

The practice of Lent as we might understand is worth questioning.  Perhaps these questions might help you decide whether Lent would be a useful thing for you to engage in in some way.

1.    With nothing in the Bible commanding the practice of Lent are you genuinely choosing to, or feeling you have to?

2.    Do we do it without any real cost and make a mockery of Jesus’ own sacrifice for us?  Are chocolate, caffeine, social media and a thousand other common choices in Lent potentially a ridicule of Jesus’ sacrifice?  If genuinely an expression of our commitment to Christ aren’t they somewhat shallow?  What would be a genuine sacrificial Lent experience for you?

3.    Do we only give up things we like and are not willing to give up things we need?  Surely if we are trying to imitate Jesus in the desert we need to remember he didn’t live without luxuries for 40 days, he lived without necessities – like food, water & shelter?

4.    Do we think that 40 days fasting from selective items somehow earns a special position for us in God’s sight or the church’s life?  Are we trying to earn something from Lent? 

5.    Do we use lent as an excuse to lose weight or break an addiction?  Nothing wrong with that, but don’t pretend it’s lent.

6.    Does it send the signal to those around us that being a Christian is about what we do and not what Jesus has done?

7.    Can we not help but tell people what we are doing?  According to Jesus that neuters any fast’s significance. It makes our fast about making ourselves look good not about making Jesus look great.

8.    Is our intention is to introduce new, better life patterns but without the intention that they continue beyond Lent?  Is that hypocrisy?

9.  Is there a way you could observe lent as a positive, external thing making not about you but about how to support, help or care for others?

Of course we might be authentically able to respond to all those questions in a grace-filled, positive, Christ-exalting manner.  If so….I’d encourage you to mark Lent.