A quick thought

In the novella, a Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge observes, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” This is a good lesson for all of us, but I would say that right now I am in the season of Lent. This is a season of fasting and prayer that comes right before Easter. It is considered a period of deep somber sobriety much like the dour-faced pilgrims at worship or the expression worn by many Cincinnati Reds’ fans after a game.

Lent is not really viewed as the happiest of times. It is after all commemorating Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, which one can assume would not be the most enjoyable time spent. Many Christians give up things for Lent just as Jesus did by going into the wilderness. While I believe their intentions are pure on conscious level, I think perhaps giving something up for Lent as a sort of sign, is problematic. (The Lutheran in me recoils at anything the vaguely smells of work’s-based-righteousness.) If you are to give up anything for Lent, I believe it should be unknown to anyone around you if it is to be for God’s glory; and if you are to give it up for your benefit (i.e. smoking or sugar), don’t you believe you should give it up totally for your health. Things that are to be done for the “good” should need no special time of year to mark them; and become a sort of “sanctified New Year’s resolution.” I think this might lower God to a bit o a totem.

No, the real meaning of Lent is hardly anything to be sad or mournful about at all. The real meaning Lent is about a promise … or maybe a series of promises that make a larger promise. Long ago, God told Noah that he would never destroy the world; but instead of stopping there, he set into motion a plan to save the world. The real meaning of Lent is about suffering, but never about a suffering that we were meant to bear by ourselves or even at all. The suffering that was endured was Christ’s for us. When we seek to punish ourselves by going without, we must always make sure we ask ourselves why we are suffering. Is it because of Christ or is it because of our pride? To give up something for Lent therefore will never be enough. It is only when we give something to God. When we tack on our problems and sins to the cross and the God-man that hung there, then and only then, will we be approaching the true meaning of Lent.

The name Lent has an interesting meaning. In most of the Romantic languages it is derived from the Latin: quadragesima. This means fortieth day, and the nomenclature has kept this up in most of the countries around Europe. In English however, we use the term Lent. This derives from the Anglo-Saxon root word that means “long.” It its connotation means “spring.” I think this is the best way to describe this season. It is a season of painful changes and eternal promises that eventually leads to the long-ago promise of life once again. It is a time when God will make all things new and when we finally realize that winter will not last forever.