What Is Lent and Why Is it Celebrated?
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. Matthew 4:1–2
Lent’s 40 Days Period Starts with Ash Wednesday
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday each year and ends 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day period of repentance, fasting, reflection, and celebration that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. The 40-day period corresponds to Christ’s trial in the wilderness, during which he fasted and was tempted by Satan. Lent encourages Christians to fast for a period of time each year, marking a deliberate season of reflection on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.
Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday are the major events of Lent.
Many Christians receive an ash cross on their foreheads at a church service on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Ashes represent mourning as well as acknowledgment of our sinful state.
The day before Jesus’ crucifixion is known as Maundy Thursday. It is thought that Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples on this day, and that he bathed their feet as a sign of humility and love.
On Good Friday, we commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross. It’s considered “good” since it’s a component of God’s salvation plan. Jesus’ suffering was part of God’s good plan to save us from sin.
Easter Sunday is widely regarded as the most significant day in Christian history. We commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection three days after his death. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating both grace and death. We can have eternal forgiveness for our sins, a connection with God, and an eternity in heaven because of Jesus.
What is Lent and How Do We Celebrate it?
It seems sense to set aside time to spiritually prepare for the two most important days of the Christian year, Good Friday and Easter, just as we do for Christmas Day. Lent is a season that allows us to confront the human condition that we may spend the rest of the year avoiding, and it brings our need for a Savior to the fore. Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a bit wider and to understand our Lord a little more, so that when Good Friday and Easter arrive, it isn’t simply another day at church, but an opportunity to accept the abundance of blessings God has to offer.
Lent is more commonly observed as a solemn week of preparation for Easter, when Christians commemorate Jesus’ death and resurrection. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting or giving up something, known as abstinence, from the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday until the completion of Lent on Easter Sunday. Lent allows us to prepare our thoughts and emotions in preparation for remembering Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Prayer is a large focus during Lent. During the 40 days, we seek God’s forgiveness, accept his love and mercy, and repent, or turn from our sins. The act of fasting or abstaining from something, like our favorite food or activity, not only gives us time to pray but reminds us of Jesus’ suffering and and sacrifice.
The History and Origin of Lent
So, where did Lent originate, and who initiated it? The Lenten season is observed by Catholics and some mainline Protestant churches who use a liturgical calendar, and it originated as part of the historical Christian calendar. Although the structure has changed over the years and between countries, the underlying premise remains the same: as we approach Holy Week, we should expose our hearts to God’s refining mercy via prayer, confession, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent is a forty-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Good Friday, fashioned after Christ’s forty-day fast in the desert. On Ash Wednesday, Lent formally begins in the Western Church with a reminder of our mortality.
Lent is a time of great penitence in which we confront our sinful natures and return to the God whom we have repeatedly wounded by our own rebelliousness. Lent is also a time to reflect on what our Lord did for us on the Cross — and it wasn’t pretty. But, at the end of the day, the aim of Lent is to orient us to the hope of the Resurrection and the day when every tear will be dry (Rev. 21:4).
And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:33–49
Practicing Lent Traditions
Even if your church does not technically observe Lent, you can benefit from it. Here are some of the most important aspects of the Lenten season, as well as some of the symbolism that goes along with them. Many of these customs can be observed both individually and collectively:
Purple is the official color of Lent, just as it is for Advent. Typically, churches that observe Lent chose the deepest, darkest purple for this holy season. They may even desecrate their churches by removing some of the normal wall decorations. Purple represents repentance for sins as well as the state of our souls outside of Christ’s light. Pray for those who do not know Christ and those who have sinned greatly against Him during this time.
As previously said, Lent is a penitential season in which people show their sorrow and repentance. The 40 days are set aside to review areas of our lives where we have recurring sins that prohibit us from conforming to God’s Will. Psalm 139, verses 23–24, is a good place to begin an examination of conscience: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts; see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Fasting and Prayer: Fasting is a Christian discipline that has mostly fallen out of favor. It may, however, be a tremendous time of renewing your relationship with God if done appropriately. Fasting is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, with Moses (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9,18), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and our Lord (Matthew 4:2) all fasting for 40 days. Fasting is a method of abstaining from certain foods.
To be more attuned to the Lord’s voice, we must rid ourselves of the excesses of life. It’s also a means of self-discipline, a way of developing your “spiritual muscles” so that when temptations emerge in life, you’re already used to saying “no.” Finally, fasting is a manner of participating in Christ’s sufferings in a little degree, and it can be especially powerful when combined with prayer and confession.
Scripture Meditations on Christ’s Sacrifice for Mankind: In addition to fasting and prayer on a regular basis, our scriptural meditations usually focus on the salvation offered to us through Christ’s suffering. Read Old Testament Scriptures that foretell Christ’s suffering as well as New Testament Gospel stories.
Charity/Almsgiving: One of the most essential aspects of the Lenten season is becoming conscious of not only Christ’s suffering and sacrifice, but also other people’s suffering. Choose one strategy to increase your contribution to people in need between now and Good Friday. Extra money contributions, donating products you no longer need or use to charity, or expanding your own time commitment to a ministry or cause near and dear to your heart are all possibilities.
Lent is a season when Christians separate from the world; it is a time when we discover that our faith is more than a feel-good, self-help religion; it is a religion that addresses the most profound concerns about life and eternity. Those who follow the Lenten path will have a greater appreciation for who God is and what He has done for us throughout the Easter season. And the joy of the Resurrection, as well as the promises of eternal life, will be remembered for a long time.
Bible Verses for Lent
3:10–11 — Philippians 3:10–11 — “Yes, I want to know Christ, to understand the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, to become like him in death, and thus to reach to the resurrection from the dead.
“Even now,” proclaims the Lord, Joel 2:12–14 “With all your heart, fasting, weeping, and mourning, return to me. Rend your heart rather than your clothes. Return to the Lord, your God, because he is merciful and gracious.
Matthew 6:16–18 — “when you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites…but when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
1 Peter 5:6 — Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Join me in prayer for this season of Lent:
Father in Heaven,
Thank you for this season’s gift. Thank you for understanding our emotions and our need for rhythm in our lives, and for bringing us into a deeper relationship with you over the next 40 days.
Although reading on Ash Wednesday that “all originate from dust and return to dust” (Ecclesiastes 3:20) can be depressing, we know that there is more to our story. We know that you formed man and woman from dust at the beginning of time (Genesis 2:7) and breathed life into them so that they may transform. They were transformed into live animals. We know you’re in the resurrection business — your own Son went to the cross to remind us that death isn’t the end, and that ultimate transformation occurs via your gift of salvation. We were made of dust, and our bodies will return to dust, but through the blood of your Son, we can live in eternal glory with you.
In this season, may we remember the gift of salvation…
Gilbert Ombao writes for Social media influencers, digital marketing experts, small business owners, bloggers, and others.
