Forty days with Jesus

The Lenten tradition of the Church takes its inspiration from Jesus’ forty days of solitude, prayer and fasting in the wilderness. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil.  He ate nothing during those days and at the end of them he was hungry” – Luke 4:1-2.

This year Shrove Tuesday – which is commonly known as Pancake Day – takes place on March 1. The name comes from the word “shrive”, meaning absolution for sins by doing penance. The day gets its name from the tradition of Christians trying to be ‘shriven’ before Lent. Christians would go to Confession, where they admit their sins and ask for absolution. Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as worshippers used up rich foods, including eggs, milk, yeast and sugar in the kitchen before they began their fasting during Lent.

The word Lent comes the Anglo-Saxon word meaning to lengthen and Lent comes at a time when the hours of daylight are lengthening as spring approaches. The color purple is associated with Lent as it signifies both penance and hope.

Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable Fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. In 2022, Ash Wednesday will fall on March 2. Despite the forty-day fasting rule, it actually is 46 days before Easter, as many Christians take breaks from fasting on Sundays (both for health reasons and due to it being the Sabbath day). Lent begins then and will end on Maundy (or Holy) Thursday, which this year will fall on April 14.

Many church denominations practice the wearing of ashes on the forehead in the sign of a cross on Ash Wednesday.  Ashes symbolize true heartfelt repentance.  More important than the outward symbol of ashes is the inner reality of a contrite heart.  “So, I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” – Daniel 9:3.

Lent is a season of repentance, self-examination and quiet contemplation of the mysteries of God.  Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism.  By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for solitude, prayer and fasting. Christians do this to make ready for the forgiveness of their sins and fleshy lives with the death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday as they follow his footsteps through Holy Week.

We are indeed mortal – we are dust, and to dust we shall return – Genesis 3:19. We are reminded that we are still sinners in need of continuous conversion. The Church now calls us back once again to the graces of our baptism, to do penance and amend our lives as we approach the greatest celebration and high point of the Christian Church year — Easter.

Mark Gunderman
Stephens City, Virginia