Lentern Request.

I recently received a request to write briefly about Lent. Which is rather difficult for me, as although a Christian for the past 25 + Years, I come from a nominally Protestant background and have been a Baptist all my Christian walk, and thus Lent is a strange almost “Catholic “term to me. But for here, let us look at what Lent is supposed to be.

According to my Dictionary, Lent is the period from Ash Wednesday to Holy (Easter) Saturday, of which the 40 week days are devoted fasting and penitence in commemoration of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness.”

Practically, Lent starts the day before on what is called Shrove Tuesday, when the house is Shriven or removed of all it’s supply of rich, Fatty foods. (See my “Shrove Tuesday” blog.)These foods were usually used up in the making of Pancakes hence Shrove Tuesday is often better know as “Pancake Tuesday”.

The next day, the first day of Lent is also known as Ash Wednesday from the custom of marking the foreheads of penitents with ashes on that day.

Now Penitence is a term rarely used these days but means, regretting and wishing to atone for one’s sins or omissions. As a noun it refers to a person doing penitence under the direction of a confessor.

Okay that is what Lent is supposed to mean; but what does it mean to you? Is Lent a time where you are truly sorry and regretting your past actions? Are you truly wishing to atone for your past sins and not repeat them, or do you just want the guilt removed but be allowed to continue in them?

Are you prepared to not only give up rich fatty foods but also these rich fatty sins (failings) of yours?

Now I don’t know that you need to go to a professional Confessor but if you are really serious about giving up something, then it will help if you have someone whom you trust, for you to be accountable to, and for them to help you with this task, through prayer and practical support, for you too.

Who will you let be your confessor? And what will you truly give up for lent? And I am not talking rich, fatty foods here! Over to you: Walter