The Season of Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. It includes 40 days. That number was significant in the Bible:

• 40 days of Jesus fasting
• 40 years of Israel in the desert
• 40 days of rain during the flood

It includes 4 R’s.

• Repentance is a time of change of mind, or turning around. This traditionally has been a period of fasting. By denying the body, we focus on self-discipline.
• Renewal of our baptism through the retreat into prayer. This changes our focus on daily living.
• Reflection on our priorities, usually by giving “alms,” that signifies some shift from just making a living. By focusing on others, we are less self-absorbed.
• Resurrection of Jesus is the culmination of Easter. The days before were a time of conflict and pain. The resurrection of a new life in the basis of Christian theology achieved through penance and prayer.

We can’t mention Lent without considering the period before it. Mardi Gras is a time of licentiousness and abandon. A last chance at the good old days before we decide to become pious. That is an unfortunate word that implies self-satisfaction and a feeling of superiority. What it really means in an attitude of obedience to the will of God and the teachings of Jesus. We need to be reminded of our commitment to follow Jesus. We have a short 2 weeks to “slack off” before we get down to what Christianity means in our daily lives. Some people, however, emphasize Mardi Gras and forget Easter.

What is the point of the church’s liturgical calendar? It’s just a simple way to keep organized in remembering the Holy Days. We also have the distraction of the Easter Bunny and the commercial emphasis on getting rather than giving. Jesus practiced the sainthood of sacrifice. Not to place an emphasis on pain, but to guide us in our purpose on serving others. We are focused outward in our attitudes rather than inward. That is the meaning of “a new heart.”

I guess that I have to mention Palm Sunday, the week before Easter. Children love it because they get to carry palm fronds during the service. But it has a more serious purpose. It reminds us that Jesus was greeted by the crowds only to be crucified less than a week later. I don’t have space to discuss “Good Friday.” I discussed the meaning of Easter on Raleigh Rant a few years ago.

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