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Reflections with God: an introduction to the Season
of Lent
The Rev Nigel Robb, the Worship
and Doctrine Task Group associate secretary, offers an
introduction to Lent - the 40 day period before Easter
beginning with Ash Wednesday - when Christians may fast,
or give up some of their usual routine, to give time to
reflect on their relationship with God.
The Season of Lent is a period of 40 days which prepares
the Church for the celebration of Easter. The name,
Lent, comes from the Old English word 'lencten' meaning
'the lengthening' of the days in spring. The 40 days
act as a reminder both of the 40 years wandering in
the desert of the Children of Israel after the Exodus,
and the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus spent in the desert
after his baptism. Originally it was a much shorter
period, as every Friday was a day of fasting and every
Sunday a 'Little Easter'. By the eighth century Ash
Wednesday was generally observed as the beginning of
Lent.
| The period begins immediately
after Shrove Tuesday (this year on 20 February),
the day associated with pancakes. This association
is due to the fact that among some people eggs,
milk and butter had to be used up before Lent began.
This has also been developed in the celebration
of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) probably most famous
in New Orleans. The name, Shrove Tuesday, originates
from the fact, though it has never been a part of
the Church’s calendar, from earliest times
it was an occasion when people confessed their sins
and were 'shriven' (an archaic form for 'absolve'). |
The Rev Nigel Robb: associate secretary
|
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, the day associated
with the imposition of ashes. The term originates from
the Old Testament tradition where 'sackcloth and ashes'
were symbols of repentance. The tradition developed
in the middle ages of burning the palm crosses given
to congregations on Palm Sunday, and using the ashes
on the following Ash Wednesday. The priest places a
mark on the forehead of congregation members with the
words: "Remember you are dust and to dust you will
return." This tradition still continues in Roman
Catholic Churches and some of the Anglican Communion.
The tone of the period is repentance and asks the members
and the Church as a whole to remember and recall the
journey of Jesus towards Jerusalem and crucifixion.
It is a period of discipline, but not necessarily of
a negative character. Lent in reality should consist
in doing something, not in merely doing without something.
The period, while it lasts for 40 days, stretches right
through a six week period up to Easter Eve. This is
due to the fact that the Sundays during Lent are not
counted as part of the 40 days. The exclusion of Sundays
is based on the belief that every Sunday in it recognition
of the reality of the resurrection is a 'Little Easter'
and must not be included in a period which marks the
world’s travail before the redemption accomplished
by Christ through the Cross and the empty tomb.
Each of the Sundays are known technically as 'Sundays
in Lent'. There are
some that have particular liturgical associations. The
Sunday before Holy Week, the last week of Lent is recognised
as Palm Sunday, recalling the triumphant entry of Jesus
into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The acclamation
of the crowd and the waving of palm branches as a type
of banner used in exuberant greeting, contrast with
the cries of the crowd only days later: "Crucify
him."
| In recent times, as seen in the lectionary,
the Palm Sunday readings have been supplemented
by references to longer readings associated traditionally
with Passion Sunday, focusing attention on the suffering
of Jesus. The Church normally celebrated Passion
Sunday on the Sunday before Palm Sunday. |
 |
Holy Week starts with the events immediately prior
to Good Friday, as recorded in the Synoptic Gospels.
They include the cleansing of the Temple, verbal conflicts
with his enemies, and the visits to Bethany where Jesus
found support and solace in the home of Mary, Martha
and Lazarus.
The Thursday of Holy Week, the last Thursday of Lent,
is known as Maundy Thursday, which celebrates the service
of Jesus of the disciples at the last Supper by washing
their feet, in the lowly manner of a slave. This particular
service is to be recalled and remembered, giving the
day its name from the new 'mandate' or 'commandment'
that Jesus gave to his disciples and from the institution
of the last Supper to be done: "in remembrance
of me".
 |
Good Friday follows. This may be
a corruption of 'God’s Friday', but there
is no strong evidence as to how it really got its
name. This is the climax of the Lenten journey,
inviting congregations to identify with the suffering
and last moments of the earthy life of Jesus before
the events of Easter. Often there are services focusing
attention of the seven last words from the Cross.
The Church has normally seen this a particular time
of contemplation and preparation, and in some ‘high’
churches of the Anglican tradition it has been celebrated
by the removal of every sort of decoration in the
Church to symbolise the devastation and emptiness
of the events of the trial and crucifixion. |
Lent finishes officially at noon on Saturday. In some
circles this is known as Holy Saturday, and has been
associated with baptism. This may date from the tradition
in the early Church (around the fourth century) where
Lent was a period devoted to the preparation of prospective
members for baptism, and they attended lectures given
by the bishop (most famously those of Cyril of Jerusalem)
The colour associated with Lent is purple – the
colour of mourning, to remind us of the impact and powerfully
destructive nature of human sin.
Further information
| A host of resources for Lent are available
on our Worship on the Web section where you can
download a range of prayers, readings and bible
studies for personal or group use on our Starters
for Sunday pages. |
 |
Why not join us in worship this weekend to reflect
on your relationship with God, or to discover more about
the Church of Scotland and the Season of Lent? Find
your local church using our interactive clickable maps
online here.
More information about the Office of Worship and Doctrine
is available on the Mission and Discipleship Council
pages here.
Lent begins in 2007 with Ash Wednesday on 21 February.
Passion Sunday is 25 March, with Palm Sunday on 1 April.
Maundy Thursday is 5 April, with Good Friday on 6 April.
Lent finishes at 12 noon on Saturday 7 April; Easter
Sunday 2007 is 8 April. Details of dates in the moveable
Christian calendar until 2010 are available on our Worship
on the Web pages here.
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Archived features
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