Lent....you mean that stuff in my belly button? :) NO! Silly. Lent is one of my favorite times in the Christian calendar. Lent picks up in the Bible with the story of the temptation of Christ...you know, He was driven(...we'll discuss that on Sunday) into the wilderness where He was tempted for forty days. Lent picks up at that story and follows Jesus' life until the Resurrection - Easter. Lent lasts for forty days (not counting Sundays). Those forty days are to be days of reflection, prayer and fasting for us. We are to be humble and reflect upon this time in Jesus' life as He walked the last few moments of His life.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. During Ash Wednesday we have a service to mark the beginning of this time of reflection. At the end of the service it is tradition for the pastor to make the sign of the cross in ashes on your forehead. Ashes are a symbol of mortality and repentance. We come from ashes and to ashes we will return. The cross reminds us of Jesus' resurrection and triumph.
During the time of Lent we should reflect on the life and journey of Christ. Many Christians choose to "give up something" for Lent, or to fast from something. The original intent was to give up something and instead spend that time in prayer and in devotion time to Christ. Some see it as being tempted as Christ was tempted. Either way, to fill the void of your missing something, or when you are being tempted by it, spend time in prayer and remember all Christ went through...that is what Lent is about.
For more information about Lent the United Methodist Church has their own resources and you can check them out at www.UMC.org. To simply get their description of Lent click here.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow! Ash Wednesday service- 6:30 pm.
~jennifer
No comments:
Post a Comment