by Kathy Ross
Unless you grew up in a church that commemorated Sunday by Sunday the events of Christ's life and of early church history you may be unaware, as I was for years, of the meaning of Lent. All I understood as a child was that sometime before Easter, a few kids at school began to make jokes about giving up things for Lent-things such as homework and asparagus. The devout gave up chewing gum or a favorite cartoon. I respected their seriousness and asked them what Lent was all about, but none could explain.
Little did I know that when they said, "It's a time when we give up stuff we like," they were participating in a tradition that dates back to the first century. Lent, from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, meaning "spring" (lengthening days), is a season of spiritual purification and renewal. Its aim is to prepare people's hearts for sincere, life-changing celebration of Christ's death and resurrection.
Initially it was shorter, but by the end of the fourth century Lent lasted forty days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter. The forty days apparently reflect the duration of Jesus' wilderness trial-forty days without food, shelter, or human contact, ending with Satan's insidious temptation. How appropriate is this connection with Easter, the celebration of Jesus' ultimate triumph over sin and death and the Evil One.
Whether or not Lent is a familiar part of your life, you may wish to consider keeping it this year in some way that will open your heart wider to the Spirit's transforming work in your life. The following Lenten prayer, shared with me by a friend, will be my prayer at the season and all through the year ahead. It was written by the Rev. Eric Milner-White, Dean of York from 1941 to 1963.
...Lord, let me fast most truly and profitably
by feeding in prayer on this Spirit:
reveal me to myself
in the light of thy holiness.
Suffer me never to think
That I have knowledge enough to need no teaching,
Wisdom enough to need no correction,
Talents enough to need no grace,
Goodness enough to need no progress,
Humility enough to need no repentance,
Devotion enough to need no quickening.