The Season of Lent
We remember the pain and suffering of Christ's sacrifice for us.
Meanings
The lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday. The word "Lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "Lencten" or "Lenchthen", meaning the lengthening of days as spring approaches.
In the first century, Lent was only a period of forty hours in remembrance of the forty hours that Jesus' body was in the tomb. The forty-hour observance ended with an Easter service at 3:00 am. In the third century, the forty hours were expanded to six days and known as Holy Week. These were days of strict abstinence. The observance of Holy Week began in Jerusalem in the fourth century, and were designated as follows:
- Palm Sunday - Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-17)
- Monday - Jesus' cleansing of the temple (Jeremiah 7:11; Matthew 21:12,13)
- Tuesday - The Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:1-25:46)
- Wednesday - Judas agreement (Zechariah 11:12,13; Matthew 26:14-16)
- Maundy Thursday - Institution of the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:1-38)
- Good Friday - Our Lord's Crucifixion (Matthew 27:32-56)
- Holy Saturday - The rest in the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66; 1 Peter 3:19)
Holy Week grew into 36 days, as a tithe of the 365 days of the year. In the time of Charlemagne, (approximately 731 A.D.) four days were added, creating the present season of 40 days. The number 40 is appropriate for a time period of purification, as our Lord Jesus fasted and was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness, Moses fasted 40 days on Mount Sinai, Elijah traveled for 40 days on the way to the mountain of God. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness.
Have you ever noticed that while Lent lasts 40 days, Ash Wednesday is actually 46 days before Easter? Sundays, being festival days, are not a part of Lent! Lent is a time to remember Jesus' suffering and death. The lenten pilgrimage involves discipline and self-denial. Lent teaches us to die to self. Now, while Sundays aren't considered part of Lent, nonetheless they are affected by the Lenten mood. Most liturgical churches consciously avoid the Alleluia and Gloria for these Sundays. Once upon a time, weddings were forbidden during Lent. Organs were stopped, public entertainment was outlawed, and royalty dressed in black.
Food Fact! Pretzels!
Pretzels are a symbol of Lenten prayer. In Lent, Christians made dough of flour, salt, and water. They shaped the dough as two crossed arms as a reminder to pray. They called the treat "brachellae", meaning "little arms", and later in German, "Brezel", from which we have "Pretzel". This was apparently an ancient practice, for there is a picture of a pretzel in a fifth century manuscript. Pretzels were a Lenten food and only eaten during the period as a reminder to pray more often.
Taken from John R. Brokhoff's Lectionary Preaching Workbook.
