Lent Season

[VivDaGurl]

I have a few questions on Lent Season. I understand that the Lent Season marks the 40 days of fasting and praying before Easter. Someone told me that it's a Chatolic practice but all these while I thought it was the Methodist practice. Can you please help me understand this?

[Radagast]

It's an OLD practice, and many Christians (including Catholics) do it.

-- Radagast

[HeatherJay]

I have a few questions on Lent Season. I understand that the Lent Season marks the 40 days of fasting and praying before Easter. Someone told me that it's a Chatolic practice but all these while I thought it was the Methodist practice. Can you please help me understand this?
I think it's an old Catholic practice that various Protestant churches have begun observing as well.

We recognize Lent to remember the 40 days that Jesus spent being tempted in the Wilderness. It is a period of self denial, but a little bit different from a traditional fast. We deny ourselves certain indulgences...those things that tempt us the most...chocolate, coffee, TV, etc. And in the place of those indulgences we seek to grow closer to Christ.

It's a time of repentence and a time to make a new found committment to spiritual growth.

At least this is my understanding of it. :)

[Celticflower]

I think it's an old Catholic practice that various Protestant churches have begun observing as well.

We recognize Lent to remember the 40 days that Jesus spent being tempted in the Wilderness. It is a period of self denial, but a little bit different from a traditional fast. We deny ourselves certain indulgences...those things that tempt us the most...chocolate, coffee, TV, etc. And in the place of those indulgences we seek to grow closer to Christ.

It's a time of repentence and a time to make a new found committment to spiritual growth.

At least this is my understanding of it. :)


Very well put! This is my understanding as well.
Unfortunately, I now attend a church which does not observe Lent. I find that I miss the darkness of the Lenten period (some of the hymns and anthems we used in the last UMC I was in were very dreary, but beautiful.). Without it Easter does not seem as joyful to me. One year at the Maundy Thursday service it was decided to use an old tradition of stripping the altar. Everything--candles, offering plates, flowers, Bible--were removed from the altar, lectern and pulpit. The lights were extinguished and we left the church in silence and darkness.
On Easter morning everything was brightly polished and back in place, the church overflowing with flowers and light and song. It was easy to touch the joy of the resurrection that morning.

Celtie

[herev]

please all of us should remember that during Lent--Sundays are EXEMPT. When you count 40 days from Ash Wednesday, you come up short of Easter. That's because every Sunday is a time of Joy--a little Easter!

[wvmtnkid]

Our UMC church doens't require us to do anything for Lent, but it is encouraged. We are having an Ash Wednesday service tomorrow evening and we are given a Lenten devotional booklet. Our music and altar colors will definately be "Lent" like. We also do a Maudy Thursday service which includes a foot washing and later on a nail driving service. We also do a Tenebre service on Good Friday. It is one of the most solemn services to go to, but very meaningful.

I do try and give something up during Lent. Usually a food item that I like. Last year I gave up watching television for the period. I haven't quite decided on what this year, but I need to decide soon! :)

[SandyLou]

WV, as you consider a Lenten sacrifice this year - how about instead of "giving up" something - make a committment to DO something.

Example, at our church, we are encouraged to commit to doing something (or sacrificing time, if you will) for others.
One Sunday School class has committed to reading the 4 Gospels.

I guess it's just a different "spin" or way of looking at it - - but also, if you do something for 40 days (excluding Sundays, HeRev! ;) ), it could become a habit!

[Onesimus85]

At my home church we did a 40 day fast through the season of Lent. 2 weeks before Lent began a calender was placed close to the pastor's office. Families or individuals could sign up for as many days as they wanted. The idea was that we would have at least 1 person fasting each day (we actually ended up with 4 a day in a congregation of 90 people). Then each person that was listed on the calender was given a sheet that had the dates of who was praying. The people who were not fasting were asked to pray for the people who were. We saw a huge spiritual growth in our church during this time.

[ClementofRome]

At my home church we did a 40 day fast through the season of Lent. 2 weeks before Lent began a calender was placed close to the pastor's office. Families or individuals could sign up for as many days as they wanted. The idea was that we would have at least 1 person fasting each day (we actually ended up with 4 a day in a congregation of 90 people). Then each person that was listed on the calender was given a sheet that had the dates of who was praying. The people who were not fasting were asked to pray for the people who were. We saw a huge spiritual growth in our church during this time.

Hey, you are back! :)

I think that the DOING is a great idea...esp. after our discussuion this morning on Kierkegaard! ^_^

[Avaya]

I've never understood the Lent thing. I live in the south - near Louisiana (but not in, thank The Lord! LOLOL). And down there, in Louisiana, Mardi Gras is a big deal. I've been told that Mardi Gras is a huge party that they have so that they can sin at will, so that they can give that sin up during Lent. Anybody ever heard that? And if that's the case, I really feel it's sickening. It's not a sacrifice to give up something you over-indulge in, just so you can claim you're doing good by giving it up. My denomination does not practice Lent, so other than the above, I know nothing about it (except what I've read here). I serve God daily and try to live in moderation all the time, so I personally don't feel led to participate in setting aside 40 days to do any of that.

[Spence06]

Lent is simply a Christian Thing. Its purely about preparing ourselfs spiritually before our Lord rises!

Whether deny ourselfs of goods or pleasures or devouting ourselfs to charity.

Lent, either way, should be a time of self-reflection and improvement.

We should have Lent in our Hearts year round and not just for these 40 days,