Observing Lent
Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at 06:23AM Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Traditionally, Christians have set aside these weeks leading up to Easter as a time of special reflection on Christ and His Work on the Cross. Many observe Lent by periods of fasting for the purpose of remembering Christ's sacrifice.
While this is usually thought of as a Catholic or Anglican practice, the leaders of our church have called for a weekly fast on Wednesdays. We will gather for prayer and then break our fast together with a shared meal. I always plan some special reading material to help me think through all the implications of what Christ has done for me.
Last year I read through the Gospels along with some selected readings from The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter VII and VII) and Berkhof's Systematic Theology. It was very meaningful and so I am looking forward to setting aside this time again this year. I will be reading John's Gospel and re-reading Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray.
That's a lot of extra reading so in order to carve out the necessary time , I have to give up something. That's the way of it, isn't it? So often, we must give up something to gain something. I'll be giving up reading blogs. Sometimes reading a lot of good things sort of scrambles my brain--too many interesting and challenging things to think about. I'll continue to update my own blog, but I won't be taking my regular rounds to visit my friends and readers.
Are you doing anything special for the Lenten season? If you are, tell me about it in the comments of this post.
Reader Comments (5)
We certainly do special things for the Lenten season - today is Shrove Tuesday, the day for eating pancakes for supper. Tomorrow, I'm making a display of bare branches. We pack away the hallelujah's at church next weekend, to be unpacked Easter weekend.
This is very admirable, Kim.
I love the book of John.
Today, I'm thinking of ways to observe lent...
Hi Beck,
I think I'll fix pancakes for dinner tonight. Solidarity with my Canadian friends, don't'cha know?
I had never heard of the setting aside of hallelujahs until Easter before!
You're giving up reading blogs? Until Easter? Or forever? 'Cause lent is only, like 40 days long. I mean, I'm sure Noah might have felt like that was forever from time to time, but it really sort of passes quickly when you're not crammed into a boat with a few hundred (thousand?) smelly critters.
: )
Carol, you crack me up!
No, I'm not giving up reading blogs forever; just until Easter.