Lent: Time of reflection repentance and renewal

Have you been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras? I have not but I am, like most of us, certainly aware of the annual event. Mardi Gras Day is Feb. 25. This day is also called Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday is that last day of the Carnival season and it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent which, this year, is Feb. 26. You can learn more about this year's Mardi Gras 2020 at its official website http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com.

People party hardy on Fat Tuesday because Ash Wednesday, as the beginning of Lent, moves us to more serious endeavors like prayer, fasting, repentance, acts of charity, reflection and renewal of life. Lent is the season prior to Easter. Like Advent, it is a time of preparation, preparation for the love of God to be truly shown as his Son gives his life for us, suffers on the cross and is raised from the dead. In baptism, we are baptized in our Lord's death and we are raised, like him into new life. (Romans 6:3-4)

In some places in the world, Lent is preparation for baptism and for the Three Days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. It is the early morning of Easter when many new Christians are baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. A serious event indeed for it is in baptism our life in Christ is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (II Corinthians 1:21,22; Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30)

It is not by accident that Lent is 40 days in length. This number corresponds to the 40 days it rained during the flood of Noah (Genesis 7:17); Moses' visit with God in Sinai (Exodus 24:19); Elijah's walk to the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:8); and lastly, Jesus's temptation in the desert (Matthew 4: 1-11).

There are three classic Lenten disciplines, each designed to help us focus our energies for reflection, repentance and renewal.

1. The giving of alms to the poor. In the ancient world there was no governmental safety net. Those who found themselves lacking counted on their neighbors to help out. Judaism made this a central tenant of the faith of which Christianity readily embraced.

2. Prayer. Prayer is our lifeline to God, in fact, our Lord taught his disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9-11).

3. Fasting. Now that is more difficult. There is a reason we as Americans are overweight and that there are two cable channels dedicated to food not to mention all the copycat programs on cable television. Why fast? Fasting is a spiritual discipline. The Biblical examples of fasting are too numerous to mention. But on Ash Wednesday we might very well read Matthew 6:17. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face. . .

Lent is anything but doom and gloom but it is not Mardi Gras either. It is a time in our life as Christians to think deeply and spiritually about our relationship with God in Christ and the renewal that comes daily in Him.