(This is not a Sunday talk but a wee conversation piece)
Someone fired this
at me earlier a few days ago: “Can you explain Lent to me please.
Its something I hear mentioned in the world every year but not
something I hear much about in church. Could you give me a little
historical background and why people observe it.”
Some Churches –
historically the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox, and the Church of
England/Episcopal Churches – have always followed a “liturgical
calendar”. That means that every Sunday in the year – not just
Christmas, Easter and Pentecost – is allocated to celebrate some
part of the Christian faith, with set (or suggested) prayers and
readings for each Sunday. Some other Churches have adopted this
practise. Baptists (especially Scottish ones) along with most
Pentecostal and independent Churches have tended to avoid it. That
explains why you may not have heard much about Lent in Church –
while Lent get a mention in the secular news due to the lingering
legacy of the influence of the Church of England and the RC Church.
Basically,
Lent stands in the church's year as a “Penitential season”. It
lasts for forty days, which calls to mind the forty days Jesus spent
in the desert, fasting, and being tempted by Satan. Indeed the set
Gospel reading for the first Sunday in Lent is exactly that story.
The basic idea is that we learn from the example of Jesus, overcome
temptation, and turn away from known sin. By so doing we prepare
ourselves properly for Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter. Other
readings for Lent do focus on the meaning of the Cross (hence our
theme for Messy Church) and on some of the events that took place
between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. So for example we were looking,
on 1st March, at the cleansing of the Temple.
Fasting
The
connexion with Jesus fasting in the desert explains the common custom
of “giving something up for Lent”. Often it's simply a
frivolous activity – giving up something you won't really miss.
Sometimes it provides an opportunity to go on a diet for six weeks
and detox or lose a bit of weight.
The
Roman Catholic Church had at one time strict rules about fasting
during Lent. In the middle ages, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products
were all forbidden; the diet was strictly vegetables (cabbage soup
according to the guys at Stirling Castle. Bleah!) By the way ...
- this explains the custom of having pancakes on Shrove Tuesday – using up all the eggs before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.
- Mother's Day is half-way through Lent. It has a theme of “rejoicing” and traditionally was known as “refreshment Sunday” when the strict rules of lent could be relaxed.
Some
people may feel that by self denial they can somehow get right with
God. I don't think that is right, helpful or even kind. It leaves us
slogging our guts out to “calm down” an angry God. Rather, we
are put right with God as we put our trust in Jesus, because he
carried our sins on the Cross, plain and simple.
Fasting
is something we don't do often do in our churches. Jesus said, “When
you fast” not “If you fast” and taught that fasting can help in
prayer and spiritual warfare. I believe there is benefit spiritually
and psychologically in fasting or “giving something up” as a way
of identifying our potentially addictive habits and idols and making
them subject to the authority of Jesus. I don't think we should be
legalistic about it, but some people may find Lent is a good time for
that sort of discipline.
Penitence/repentance
Ash
Wednesday (straight after Pancake day) is the first day in Lent. In
the Catholic and other churches, ashes (traditionally the ashes of
last year's Palm Crosses) are used to make the sign of the –Cross
on the forehead or sprinkled on the scalp of worshippers. The point
is “repentance in sackcloth and ashes” and to consider our own
frailty (“remember that we are dust...”). Again, not something
that is big in our tradition. Perhaps we might be benefit from some
way of humbling ourselves!
I have
however heard of some churches offering “Ashes to go” as a way of
street-witnessing on Ash Wednesday. As unchurched people receive the
ashes (and people are willing to do so) they may be able to reflect
on their own need to turn again to God.
Prayer,
reflection, study
Traditionally
the fasting was accompanied by prayer, and study. Ornaments and
statues would be covered over, flowers would not be displayed;
on communion tables, cloths of sombre purple would be used. It was
common in the Catholic Church for people to follow the “Stations of
the Cross” –
a mini-pilgrimage consisting of a series of 14 plaques or pictures
recalling the events of good Friday installed in Catholic Churches.
In
the fourth century, new converts would be baptised at Easter, and
those gong to be baptised would spend Lent preparing for their
baptism. Sometimes this involved daily classes which lasted fro
three hours!
Today
many
Churches and local groups of Churches hold Lent
home groups. During 2013 we held a weekly “School of Prayer”
during Lent. Again,
there may be benefit to be had from taking a bit of time out each day
– for example if you give up tea and coffee, use the coffee-break
times to read the Bible or pray.
Conclusion
So,
are we enjoying our freedom in Christ, or are we missing
out on something? I personally don't believe in imposing legalistic
ideas on others. We are free. But we should be free enough to dip
into some of the traditions of Lent and benefit from them. In
particular, I believe
there is benefit to be had from:
- Penitence: taking time to reflect on and turn away from our sins.
- Prayer for ourselves and the world,
- Self discipline
- Study and reflection, and
- Preparation for Easter. As Bible-believing Christians we place a huge value on the Cross because Jesus died for our sins. However, in the way we handle the story, we can sometimes kind of soften its impact. Jesus died for our sins – but it's OK, he rose again. Now I want to say a big “Hallelujah” to the resurrection! But that “Hallelujah” is even bigger if we have taken the time, properly to reflect on the horror of the Cross and the significance of the events that led up to the Cross.
So
the Lord may have some treasures for us in Lent, if we will receive
them!
© Gilmour Lilly March 2015
© Gilmour Lilly March 2015
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