Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and if I hadn't read it somewhere on the Internet, I would have missed it completely. I never really celebrated Lent growing up. My church didn't observe it and I don't remember any explanations of what it is, or why people "give things up" for Lent. When I went to college, Lent was in vogue. Everyone in the cafeteria would talk about what they were giving up for Lent and for the first time I thought maybe I should do that too. So I gave up caffeine one year, which was pretty convenient considering I rarely drank anything other than water anyway. Lots of press, little sacrifice. I completely missed the point and honestly, the experience of "giving something up" meant nothing. After that Lenten experiment, I decided to let Lent be for the Catholics and Episcopalians, for people who grew up with that tradition, and to not worry about it myself.

Until this year.  This year I had to actually ask myself, What is Lent? Why do people celebrate it? What is the point of giving things up if you're just going to broadcast it? So, I've spent some time reading and researching and here are my big takeaways:

• In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of humility and mortality
• Lent is a season of repentance and expectation
• The Lenten season is best compared to the Advent season

Those two words humility and mortality stuck with me and those first two bullet points should really go together because repentance always needs humility and expectation comes when I face the fact that I'm finite. To be aware of my mortality is to be aware of eternity. 

So I struggled. Do I give something up? Is there Biblical evidence that I should? While I don't think the Bible mandates self-denial during the Lenten season, it is clear that self-denial can benefit our spiritual lives. So, fasting (from food or anything else) isn't a bad thing, but it's also not a mandate. And in the process of more study and conversation with those wiser than me, the main point of Lent isn't what we are giving up or even if we are giving something up, but rather that we set aside this season as one of repentance and expectation, a season of exposing our hearts. It doesn't even mean adding to our devotional lives (although it might), but simply an intentional redirection toward confession, humility, repentance, and ultimately HOPE, which is a sure expectation, making Easter all the more joyful.  

For a great article that discusses these issues further, click here. As you can see, I have a lot to learn, so I'd love to hear your thoughts and responses.