What Lenten Means....

What Lenten means: (this is an Essay, not a Poem) The Western Christian 40-day-period. The liturgical color of the season of Lent is purple. Lent (from Latin: Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn exercise in the Christian liturgical calendar that begins on: Ash Wednesday and ends about six weeks later on: Silent Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is: preparing the believer for Easter through: the prayer, doing fine, not consuming meat, repentance from sin, giving alms, and denial of ego. This event is observed in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Oriental Orthodox, Reformed and Roman Catholic churches. Some Anabaptist and Evangelical churches also observe Lent. The last week of Lent is Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday. Following the New Testament story, Jesus' crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, and at the beginning of the following week the joyful celebration of Easter Sunday recalls the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting, as well as giving up certain luxuries in order to mimic the account of the sacrifice of the journey of Jesus Christ in the desert for 40 days; this is known as one of the Lenten sacrifice. Many Christians also add a Lenten spiritual discipline, such as reading a daily devotional or praying through a Lenten calendar, to settle near God. The Stations of the Cross, a devotional commemoration of Christ carrying the cross and his execution, have often been observed. Many Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches remove flowers from their altars, while crucifixes, religious images, and other intricate religious symbols often wrapped in violet fabrics in solemn observance of the event. Throughout Christianity, some adherents mark the season with the traditional abstinence from the consumption of meat, especially among Lutherans, Roman Catholics and Anglicans. Lent is traditionally described as the 40-day duration, commemorating the 40-day Jesus fasted in the desert, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before the start of his prosecution service, in which he endured the temptation of satan. Depending on the Christian denomination and local customs, Lent ends either on the evening of Maundy Thursday, or at sunset on Holy Saturday, when the Easter Vigil is celebrated. Anyway, Lenten practices are well maintained until the evening of Holy Saturday. ©Sylvia Frances Chan Sunday 5 April 2020