What is Lent?
Lent is a season of 40 days, excluding Sundays, which begin on Ash Wednesday (with a call to repentance and reconciliation with God) and ends on Holy Saturday, leading into the Easter experience. The word ‘Lent’ comes from the Latin word “Lencten” meaning “Spring.” Historically, Lent began as a season of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and it later became a time of penance and re-entry for lapsed members (Penitents).
Lent is now considered as a season of preparation for Easter, although it is not as well celebrated in Methodism as it is in Anglican and Catholic churches. It is the period in the Christian calendar where we prepare ourselves to walk with Jesus to Calvary and into the Garden of Resurrection. Usually, the first Sunday deals with Jesus’ temptation by Satan and the 6th Sunday (Palm Sunday) covers Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Sundays are seen as little Easters, and so the penitential spirit of Lent should be tempered with joyful expectation of the Resurrection.
During the 40 days, the church is reminded of symbolic times in scripture e.g the Jews wandering in the desert for 40 years; Jonah informing the city of Nineveh that God had given them 40 days grace within which they needed to repent and Jesus retreating into the wilderness and fasting for 40 days whilst enduring considerable temptation as He prepared for His ministry.
Traditionally, the 40 days are marked by fasting (from food & festivities), by acts of penance and by almsgiving to the poor. Usually somber colours such as purple, grey and rough textured cloth are used for banners and paraments etc. Usually all shiny objects are removed from the church and flowers are sometimes omitted. Visuals such as wooden cross, crown of thorns etc are sometimes used.