Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting that prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday. By observing the forty days of Lent, we imitate Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. The purpose of Lent is to be a season of fasting, self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, and simplicity.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance, a season for reflection and awareness. The focus of Lent is also a time to prepare new converts for baptism through intensive classes and instruction. It is a time for long-standing Christians to review their lives and renew their commitment to their beliefs. More importantly, Lent is a time for serious, disciplined self-examination.
Some self examination questions upon which Christians might pray and meditate during Lent include:
(1) Am I sharing what I have with others?
(2) AM I gracious and patient with others, especially those who irritate you?
(3) Am I listening more to God and complaining less?
(4) AM I gossiping about others?
(4) Did I give to the poor and needy?
(5) Did I forgive those who have hurt me?
(6) Did I speak up for the maligned and oppressed?
The list can go on and on….
As for me I am giving up, giving in and giving out in my own ways. Smoking, I do not ; so I can’t give up smoking. Watching TV and surfing the net, I am not addicted, so I can’t that give up too. Cookies, ice-cream, chocolate etc I do not indulge, again I can’t give up. But I can give up being jealous or feeling depressed, I can give up a meal or two for the one child who die from starvation every six seconds, I can give up retail therapy. I can give in to a more prayerful life, I can sit silently with the Lord, I can read the Words of God everyday. I can give out to the poor and needy, I can continue to be a useful volunteer, I can give both money and kinds to a good cause.
Lent is really a preparation to celebrate God’s marvelous redemption at Easter, and the resurrected life that we live and hope for. It is essential to remember that nothing we do through self-denial or good works can ever repay the Lord for what He has accomplished for us. Lent is not about our giving up something just to please God; it is about what Jesus gave up to pay the penalty for the sins of the world… His dying on the cross.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance, a season for reflection and awareness. The focus of Lent is also a time to prepare new converts for baptism through intensive classes and instruction. It is a time for long-standing Christians to review their lives and renew their commitment to their beliefs. More importantly, Lent is a time for serious, disciplined self-examination.
Some self examination questions upon which Christians might pray and meditate during Lent include:
(1) Am I sharing what I have with others?
(2) AM I gracious and patient with others, especially those who irritate you?
(3) Am I listening more to God and complaining less?
(4) AM I gossiping about others?
(4) Did I give to the poor and needy?
(5) Did I forgive those who have hurt me?
(6) Did I speak up for the maligned and oppressed?
The list can go on and on….
As for me I am giving up, giving in and giving out in my own ways. Smoking, I do not ; so I can’t give up smoking. Watching TV and surfing the net, I am not addicted, so I can’t that give up too. Cookies, ice-cream, chocolate etc I do not indulge, again I can’t give up. But I can give up being jealous or feeling depressed, I can give up a meal or two for the one child who die from starvation every six seconds, I can give up retail therapy. I can give in to a more prayerful life, I can sit silently with the Lord, I can read the Words of God everyday. I can give out to the poor and needy, I can continue to be a useful volunteer, I can give both money and kinds to a good cause.
Lent is really a preparation to celebrate God’s marvelous redemption at Easter, and the resurrected life that we live and hope for. It is essential to remember that nothing we do through self-denial or good works can ever repay the Lord for what He has accomplished for us. Lent is not about our giving up something just to please God; it is about what Jesus gave up to pay the penalty for the sins of the world… His dying on the cross.
