The Scriptures of Lent

The word Lent is derived from the Middle English "lente," which means springtime.  It is the season that precedes Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending with the conclusion of Holy Week.  Following the the Council of Nicea in the year 325, it was a season of preparation for baptism of adults.  Indeed, this preparation sometimes took two years but was most intensive in the final period, leading up to baptism in the dark at the Great Vigil of Easter on what is now Saturday night, before the Lord's Day service of resurrection.  For some specifics about Ash Wednesday and more on the origin of Lent, click here.

Lent is when we prepare, or re-prepare, to discover and explore and receive the whole story of God: darkness and light, sadness and joy, sin and forgiveness, or -- at its heart -- death and life.  In some ways, Lent is the whole cycle of faith in miniature.

This is a very introductory look at Lent, perhaps with some bits that are well known.  It examines two dimensions of the season: its founding principles and its guiding resources.  That is, why do we do it as we do, and what do we do within it?

The 40 days

A Season of intensive examination lasting 40 days is familiar in the Biblical world.  Consider these three occurrences: Exodus 34:27-28, 1 Kings 19:1-8 (and 9-18), Matthew 4:1-2.  (See also 3-11.  This draws on the earlier Biblical use of the number 40 in Exodus 16:35 and Genesis 7:4.)

The nature of the season

Perhaps Joel, in a reading familiar to Ash Wednesday (Joel 2:1-2, 12-17) along with the Psalmist in Psalm 51 say it best.

What do we do?

Traditional and common dimensions of Lent are fasting, self-denial, prayer, and study.  Why fast?  Matthew 9:15, Acts 14: 21-23.  Why deny self?  Matthew 16:24.  Why almsgiving?  Matthew 6:1.  Why prayer? Matthew 6:6.  Why study?  Matthew 7:7.

Is Lent personal or public?

Personal, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Colossians 3:3.  Political, Matthew 4: 1-11.

Palm/Passion Sunday

What do the palms mean?  Matthew 21:1-11, John 12:12-17, 1 Macc 13:51, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 23:37-39.

Holy Week Thursday and Passover

Exodus 12:1-14, Matthew 26:1-2, 17, John 13:1-9, 13:34.

Mandate, Betrayal

John 13:21-30.

Good Friday

Matthew 26:1 to 27:61.  (Use of color purple 27:28.)  Luke 23:32-46.

There is so much more that could be added or examined.  Perhaps as a Lentend study or discipline you could choose one Gospel (Luke?) and read from the entry to Jerusalem through the Passion.  Or see how in Matthew and John much teaching is retained fro that time around the arrival at Jerusalem.  And notice old familiar texts in their seasonal setting.  And know that at the great Vigil of Easter in the Roman Catholic Church, there is one text that gets read over and over again.  It is Genesis 1:1, and the story of darkness, light, and creation.  It is followed by the refrain, "and God saw that it was Good."  This is all part of our story.