Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Feb/78

Contributor - Sharon Van Beek

Title - What Is Lent?

Topic - Lent

Lent is a time for restraint and sacrifice.. ..It is associated with Christ's suffering in the wilderness and on the cross.

Ash Wednesday and the three other days proceeding the first Sunday in Lent were introduced in the 6th century by the Western half of the Western Church. The purpose was to expand this season of fasting and penitence to exactly 40 days, excluding Sundays, in accordance with Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. The name Ash Wednesday was - derived from the practice of marking the foreheads of the faithful with ashes as a sign of the beginning of the period of penitence having begun.

In the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches there is a Lenten Array, which consists of veiling usually in purple cloth, the pictures, crosses, and images in the church during the Lenten period. The veiling is done on Shrove Tuesday, since Ash Wednesday was considered the first day of Lent.

Lent calls us to a greater faithfulness in our lives in the church, to a greater sincerity in prayer and worship, to the renewal and strengthening of our faith in Christ, to greater reality in our lives as Christians . . . . the purpose of Lent is to make the Lord Jesus Christ more real to us.

"When you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do. They neglect their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting".

These are the words of the gospel and as one looks more closely into the 6th chapter of Matthew we will find a great deal, which is profitable, for the entire period of Lent.

"When you go without food wash your face and comb your hair so that others cannot know that you are fasting."

"Store up riches for yourself in Heaven."

"For your heart will always be where your riches are."

Let us take these three affirmations alone and then ask the "Age - old" questions-

"What do they mean?"

"What does this show of Jesus?"

"How can they be applied today?"

First, they distinguish between what is of Judaism and what is of Jesus. Jesus does say, "When you fast . ." not, "If you fast . .", yet there is a vast difference here between the Law and the Spirit. To anoint oneself was a symbol of joy to the Jews. It was forbidden on any fast day, yet Jesus commands that in our remittance and fasting we avoid all displays which men usually make of them. Using this approach then, He calls us to lay up treasures in Heaven and not on earth. Then He tells us "For your heart will always be where your riches are." In today's terms He might have said "Where a man's investments are, there his real interest is going to be."

We learn from these passages that our conduct must be inseparably bound up within ourselves. hat is the purpose in fasting? Do we engage in it because of pride and self-righteousness? Do we do it so that people can see us? When was the last time you fasted? Jesus in Matthew does not ask us to fast . . it was expected that we did. He is giving the ground rules. Have we thought about fasting for even a single meal and give the money saved to a worthy cause?

Let us consider the second question - What does this show of Jesus? Jesus verifies each of these teachings in every facet of His life. Jesus is often referred to as "the man of sorrows", however, He is also a man of Good Cheer, at least as far as the "world" was concerned. He only showed His wounds to God. Whenever He had need of prayer or to decide something, He immediately went apart into the silent places. The world saw the results of His private spiritual life, but never its seeds.

Men saw Him at the wedding feast or dining with sinners or speaking with confidence, but only His closest disciples were invited to watch while He prayed and then even they fell asleep. He healed, and then cautioned "Tell no man". He was offered a crown and slipped quietly away into the mountains. Not even on His cross did He use His power. He followed His Father's advice only. He refused to act for appearance sake. He preferred rather to find His strength and His reward in God. Here too, He is the Way, the 'Truth and the Life for those who would follow.

How are these things applied today? What can they show us in the way of spiritual direction? We should at this time assume some special discipline which will serve to control our self-indulgent natures. It is very well to say that Lent is a time to put on or to give something. However, a tree grows best after pruning and the garden must be weeded if it is to bring forth the best produce. Jesus knew this to be equally so with our souls. Consequently He did not say, "If you fast", He said, "When you fast".

We are also encouraged to think more effectively about spiritual provisions and eternal values and less about earthly materialism. It will not be necessary to tell everyone, like little Jack Horner, "What a Good Boy am I", just because you gave something up for Lent. Instead we are to direct our thoughts to Heaven and to eliminate those things which hinder our spiritual development.

Last is the realm of motive and the test of spiritual honesty. What should our spiritual motives be during Lent? To what purpose will our activity be directed? Our motive and purpose must be to offer Christian service, create a Christian atmosphere and provide a Christian worship in such a way as to lead the world to say, "Surely God is in this place."

"When you go without food, wash your face . .. ."

"Store up riches for yourself in Heaven"

"For your heart will always be where your riches are"

These are eternal directives, but they are also suited to the beginning of the Lenten season.

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