Observing Lent. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 265

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Ariel Palmer
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2 Observing Lent I invite you to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God s holy Word. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 265 Christians traditionally observe Lent the season of forty days from Ash Wednesday through Easter as a time of introspection, self-awareness, and encouragement toward deepening their life in Christ. The word lent means lengthening, and the season corresponds to the lengthening of days the hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere. Remembering Jesus forty days in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry, Christians anticipate and contemplate 2

3 the growing presence of light in their own lives. The liturgical year offers worshipers rhythms of feasting and fasting, alternating attitudes of celebration and repentance, and transformative times for activity and rest. The liturgical season of Lent embodies all of these rhythms, with a special emphasis on self-examination, fasting, study, prayer, and giving alms. Emphasizing these in your own journey through the season of Lent connects you to pilgrims through the ages who have deepened their experience of conversion, their call to discipleship, and their relationship with the triune God through deliberate and intentional observance. Self-examination Specific disciplines for self-examination arose early in Christian communities. These disciplines shared a simple purpose: to search one s ways and to 3

4 learn from the seeking, so that one returns to God with greater intention. These disciplines build an intentional life a life ordered and informed by a particular goal or goals. Intentional living probes the spheres of life in which we all participate; it takes account of the self as a physical being, a psychological and spiritual being, an economic being, a social being, and an ethical being. It invites the questions: How am I now, and how would I like to be in the world? At the heart of examination lies a bold self-honesty, a willingness to question our motives and actions at the most foundational levels. The Lenten context of grace and mercy frees us to examine even the darkest recesses and most fearful parts of ourselves, with the assurance of being fully known, forgiven, and loved. Daily self-examination invites the Holy Spirit to illuminate the soul s 4

5 longings. Attuning attention to the movement of God s Spirit during the day opens the soul to receive God s guidance and support. Bible passage for reflection: Lamentations 3:40 Try This: In the middle of your day, review the day so far. What has happened? What emotions came up? Choose an incident from the day so far and pray from your thoughts and feelings. Fasting Often you will hear about people giving up things for Lent, curbing activities they view as vices like smoking, eating sweets, or watching television. This kind of giving up has its roots in the ancient practice of fasting, a spiritual discipline found in many religions. Usually fasting means giving up food, or certain kinds of food, for 5

6 the purpose of better understanding how that fare affects and dictates our desires, cravings, and satisfactions. Yet, anything given up for a time, in order to better focus on things divine, can be considered a fast. A fast undertaken for spiritual reasons has several purposes. Fasting raises awareness about when we consume, and why. This heightened awareness helps us observe the power of craving. Focusing attention away from the things of this world to focus on things divine, fasting creates a state of tension between the feelings of absence and gratification. In a visceral way, it reorders priorities. Fasting encourages trust in God to provide for mortal needs, heightening the sensation of gratitude. Fasting embodies a sacrificial lifestyle, acknowledging that our greatest purpose is realized, not through satisfying our appetites, but in nurturing our 6

If you grew up Catholic, you re probably familiar with

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