Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Lent
As I'm sure you know we are in the Lenten season right now... or the season of Lent. Do you know that we are closing out exactly the 7th day of Lent? I know this because it seems much longer since I've had any sweets! : ) I was thinking about my Lenten commitment this morning and wondered if the word Lent was even in the Bible. It's not. Hmmmmm. So why do we give something up for Lent? It's not even Biblical (or is it?). When I was a kid the only way I knew about Lent was because my Catholic Jr High friends were giving up gum during this time. Lent is not a big tradition in Mennonite churches today. This is probably the 4th or 5th year I've "observed" Lent on my own and I have to say that something very "little" like giving up something you love/enjoy has become a very spiritually growing experience, enough so that I don't mind repeating the process each year. It's certainly not something I have to do, or even feel half-way obliged to do. Every time I see or desire a sweet, I remember the sweet thing that Jesus did for me, dying on the cross, just for me. During these 40 days of Lent (really there are 46 if you count the Sundays, but they always just say 40...anyway), it is a reminder that Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, being tempted by Satan, and before He started His public ministry. I'm curious, have any of my blogging friends given up anything for Lent, and if so, why do you observe Lent?
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2 comments:
Leah- I love your entry so much that I felt compelled to answer your question at the end. I am a Catholic who is almost 35yrs old which means I have observed Lent pretty much my whole life. As a child it wasn't really an option, we were just always told it is Lent what are you giving up. As an adult with children of my own, I must say I kind of enjoy it. For me Lent is all about making a sacrifice and giving up something that I really enjoy. I like the daily on going challenge that I have with my mind each and everyday to not give into temptation. This year I have given up coffee. In the past I have always given up drinking Pop, however this winter I discovered I was consuming way to much coffee. So this time around coffee seemed to feel like it would be a bigger sacrifice. As an added challenge I have left the coffee maker in the same spot on the counter, so it can eye me down each morning. It is a daily struggle. I swear that machine has eye that follow me around begging to be turned on so it can purr. That being said, how could you ask for a better daily reminder that Jesus died just for me? I don't think you can. I must also add that as a kid I dislike going to church during Lent. It was always so dark and depressing. Now it is something that I enjoy. I find singing the Kyria in Latin calming. The traditions that the Catholic Church observe and I follow help make spring my favorite season. To me spring represents not only the warming of the Earth, but the re-birth of Christ and that is what it is truly all about.
Maybe instead of "Lent" it can be thought of as "fasting". Fasting is mentioned in the bible many times and that's what you're doing is withholding something?
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