« Some Upcoming Events | Main | First Week of Lent - Monday »
Lent
By Pat Lee | January 28, 2008
February 6, 2008 we begin the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday Services at 10:00 a.m. and at 7:30 p.m. Lent is a time of preparation each year for the celebration of the most important festival of the church – Easter, which this year occurs on March 23. Each year Christians are invited to “observe a holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving and by reading and meditating on the word of God” in scripture. (Book of Alternative Services–page 282)
SOME HISTORICAL NOTES ABOUT LENT
In the early church, for at least the first two centuries, the focus of the community was upon Easter Day itself. There was no Season of Lent and no commemoration of Good Friday in the way that we know it now. Christians met for worship on Saturday before Easter at 6 p.m. and continued in fasting, prayer and meditation through the night until about 3 a.m. on Sunday, when they celebrated the Eucharist. Later the practice of fasting was extended to include Friday to create a period of 40 hours in which to remember the time during which Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. Later still this period of fasting was extended further to include all of Holy Week.
In the year 600 AD the season was extended to 40 days–a time-frame which corresponds to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness preparing for his public ministry.
WORSHIP and STUDY at St. John’s during Lent.
In our Anglican spiritual tradition, the character of Lent is reflected in various features of our worship. Purple (a penitential colour) becomes the colour for the season and “alleluias” are omitted from the service. The “Glory to God” (”Gloria in Exclesis”) is also omitted.
In addition to a weekly Lenten Bible Study, there will (hopefully) be Lenten take-home daily Bible readings and reflections provided each week.
The following prayer, of unknown origin, has been adapted many times by many people. It is perhaps best known as “A Lenten Prayer” and sometimes called simply “How to Fast”.
A Lenten Prayer.
Fast from judging others Feast on the Christ indwelling in them
Fast from pessimism Feast on optimism.
Fast from criticism Feast on praise.
Fast from self-pity Feast on joy.
Fast from bitterness Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from idle gossip Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from discouragement Feast on hope
Fast from complaining Feast on appreciation
Fast from selfishness Feast on service
Fast from fear Feast on faith
Fast from anger Feast on patience
Fast from self-concern Feast on compassion for others
Fast from discontent Feast on gratitude.
Loving God during this season of fasting and feasting, gift us with your presence so that we can be gift to others in carrying out your work. Amen.
Topics: Lent |