Happy Lent 2k18!!!!!
Today marks the official first day of Lent! It occurred to me that some people may not know what Lent is and if they do, they may not understand the significance. So I wanted to write a post kind of explaining what it is and why it matters so much to Christians.
Q: What is Lent?
Lent is basically a period of time, mostly practiced in Catholicism and beginning on Ash Wednesday, lasting 40 days to imitate the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, before Easter. It is quite similar to Advent (the period of time before Christmas) in that people normally take this time to reflect and grow in their understanding of God to prepare for the big day (in this case, Easter). This is important in also understanding the significance of Christmas and/or Easter. By observing Lent and Advent, these two days become much more than just "holidays" taken out of context by the secular world. They become days where you can truly celebrate and remember the amazing GRACE and LOVE offered to us by our Heavenly Father. (Don't worry, I'll expand more on why this is in the "Why does it matter?" section) So what's the difference between Advent and Lent? Advent is the period of time leading up to Christmas, and if you've been living on this earth long enough, you'll know that Christmastime is generally a very happy, joyful time. So naturally, Advent tends to be a period of what I call "happy waiting." On the other hand, Lent leads up to Easter and is the more contemplative of the two, a time when we remember the HUGE sacrifice and incomparable sacrifice Christ made on the cross.
Q: How do you Lent?
During this time, people normally choose to give up one aspect of their life that they depend on/enjoy a lot. For example, some common things that are given up are meat, sweets, or social media. It is also encouraged that you supplement it with an activity that will help you in focusing on God. A big thing people do is praying - for those who give up things like social media, they choose to spend the time they would've devoted to their phones praying. Or, let's take giving up meat as an example again. Whenever people feel themselves craving meat, they will drop everything and pray, asking God to remind them that He will satisfy them more than meat ever could. The point of it is, as I mentioned above, to remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. But also, it is for us to truly look to God as our source of happiness.
Q: So what am I giving up?
Last year, I decided to give up secular music... yes, it was EXTREMELY difficult, but at the same time, it was SO rewarding. Music plays a big role in my life. I jam to it while I'm driving, I listen to it while I do homework, and it's constantly running through my head. So when I gave up secular music last year for Lent, I had no idea what to expect, and was even a little scared, because it meant I would have to give up something that was prevalent in my life almost 24/7. (Not to mention, Eric Nam's new song also came out during that time heehee.) However, as I began to fill my life with Christian music, I found that the lyrics would run subconsciously through my head throughout the day, which was really encouraging for me. If I was going through a rough patch, I could immediately recall the lyrics from a song and it would remind me that no matter what, God had my back. So this year, I decided to do the same thing! Yes, it will be a challenge, but it will also remind me that my enjoyment and assurance come from God alone and not from catchy songs.
Q: Why does it matter (even if you're not Catholic)?
First things first! It is without a doubt that our God loves like no other. When we observe Lent, we are placed in a situation where we must rely and focus on God. And a big part of that is focusing on how much God loves us, that He would sacrifice His son for us. In remembering God's sacrifice, we must also remember to acknowledge our sin, for if we didn't sin in the first place, God wouldn't have had to make this sacrifice. Observing Lent is also a spiritual discipline, and it is one that I encourage ALL Christians (this doesn't have to be something restricted to Catholicism) to practice at least once in their life. You will be challenged. But you will also learn so much more about God and about the relationship you get to have with him. It also makes Easter so much more meaningful, because you have spent a month and a half really enjoying His presence and just thinking about the grandeur of His love for us. You will most definitely not regret it!!
~jo
For more info about Lent!! https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/lent-101-honoring-the-sacrifice-of-jesus-1382259.html