Easter Must be Coming Up
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Remember those plastic beige “Hot Lunch” trays in elementary school? My favorite meal was Chicken a la King! How about you?
Looking back I am pretty sure Fridays during Lent featured fish patties or fish sticks. But at the time this little elementary school girl was unaware. My church tradition never mentioned Lent.
But we pulled out the stops on Easter morning!
When is Lent?
Lent starts about six weeks before Easter Sunday. Precisely, forty-six days. It starts on what is referred to as Ash Wednesday, and finishes right before Good Friday on the cusp of the Crucifixion.This year Lent is from February 22 to April 6, 2023. Easter Sunday is April 9, 2023.
Why is Easter on a different date every year?
Easter coincides with the Jewish calendar and Passover. It is based on the Pascal Moon. Jesus was crucified in sync with the Passover Feast, so the church calendar follows that too.Who came up with this?
If you’ve recited the Nicene Creed in your church, it was at that Council of Nicea in 325 AD (a worldwide church council) that adopted that there be forty days of fasting before Easter as a spiritual discipline.
It’s been seen as worthwhile for a LONG, long time as a means to prepare one’s heart annually to ponder the significance of the Crucifixion/Resurrection.
What’s up with 40 days?
The word Lent, is quadragisima or fortieth, in Latin. Forty days of preparation is a repeated theme multiple times in the Bible.Moses was on the mountain forty days to pray and fast before receiving the Ten Commandments (Ex 34:28). Elijah fasted and prayed forty days before meeting with God on the mountain (I Kings 19:8-9).
Jesus fasted and prayed forty days in the wilderness too, to prepare for ministry.
Sunday is not usually counted in the forty days of Lent.
What is the purpose of Lent?
Preparation is the purpose. These weeks before Easter are like getting ready for a big trip or event.
We get ready spiritually to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. Heart preparation should be as important, or even more important, than preparing Easter baskets for the kids and arranging an Easter Brunch.
Check your attitude
We check our attitude. We review our mindset and behavior. We ask God for forgiveness. We think about God and Scripture. Scripture, prayer and meditation assists us to evaluate our attitude, mindset and behavior.We reflect on all God has done for us. As we think of Jesus’ attitude of self sacrifice, we too should reflect on opening our heart to others with a servant attitude.
Moving forward this month
Blog schedule for the month of March.
1. The when and why of Lent
2. What’s up with giving something up and eating fish?
3. Get ready to be thrilled this Easter
4. Ten reasons Lent is beneficial
5. 'Twas the week before Easter
Holy week: 'Twas the night before Easter
1. The when and why of Lent
2. What’s up with giving something up and eating fish?
3. Get ready to be thrilled this Easter
4. Ten reasons Lent is beneficial
5. 'Twas the week before Easter
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Up next: Giving up something for Lent and eating fish on Fridays
Previous post: Five Astonishing Qualitites of Agape Love
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Reflect:
1. If I had asked you a week ago "what is Lent,"? what would you have said? Does this blog post give you a better understanding?
2. Why might the Lent period be helpful to any Christian? How might it be helpful to you?
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