Lent

Lent is comprised of the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not inclusive of Sundays. Sundays are always feast days because every Sunday, even those in Lent, are commemorations of our Lord's Resurrection. As such, they are not part of Lent and, hence, it is indeed appropriate to partake of that which one has "given up" for Lent.


For me personally Lent is a time for me to stop take time out and remember what Jesus did for me on the cross. As a parent I realize the sacrifice that was made for me before I was even thought of...That said I normally give up something in order to allow time to take up something to grow and nurture my relationship with my Heavenly Daddy.

I am not sure yet what I will be giving up. I have done some research and am considering a sort of "partial fast". http://www.prayerfoundation.org/lent_40_days_of_prayer_&_fasting.htm In which I am thinking about giving up either one meal a day or eating in moderation for the entire Lenten season.

I have asked my older children to consider also giving something up. They have some pretty funny ideas that make me laugh:) Duece said Jesse should give up Barbies and Jesse said she was skipping the giving up of stuff!

But as Christians I think it is important to honor our Savior by making a sacrifice of our own.

(This is an excerpt from an article on Lent observance's found at http://www.arkansascatholic.org/article.php?id=1629)

"In some denominations we are reclaiming a sense of history," Dr. Jane Harris, professor of American religion at Hendrix College in Conway, said. "We can still be Protestant yet claim liturgical practices."

Harris gave two reasons to explain why more churches, including some American Baptist churches, although none in Arkansas, now follow a liturgical calendar and observe Lent.
First, she said, many churches want to recognize the rich history of the liturgical calendar.

"Observing church seasons add elements of depth and life to the congregation to spiritually enrich us," she said.

Secondly, society has diminished the spiritual elements of holidays.

"Advent and Lent slow us down and take us away from the commercialism and allow us to prepare for the high holy days of Christmas and Easter," she said.

In fact, Lent is all about preparation. While the word "Lent" means "spring," the season of Lent for many Christians is marked by a concentrated focus on prayer and a sacrifice either by giving something up or taking something on, Harris said.

"During Lent, we know that for 40 days everything is going to be different," Father Nicholas Verdaris, pastor of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Little Rock said. "It is about altering our way of life to allow more time for prayer."