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I was talking to a Friend who runs a church here in town. His church does celebrate Easter, but Lent is not observed per se. Whereas over at the Episcopal church, Lent is a huge I mean HUGE event.
Got me thinking about the two major seasons Advent and Lent, and I drew back on my previous experiences as well as what I observe now as well. What I see is that Advent is more of an external celebration, focused more on charity, charitable giving, celebrations, and centered more on group activities. BOTH are a focus on hope. Both represent anticipation. Lent however, is more internal, more introverted, allowing the person to focus on cleansing and improving his or her mind and soul in anticipation of Easter.
I also noticed that Emails and even that beautiful calendar of religious artwork that I got free point out days of abstinence and fasting, today being one.
Traditionally, Lent was a time for those who had been cut off from the church to make amends and rejoin the faithful. Today, it seems more of a personal and introspective journey into ones beliefs and faith.
Then there is the "Giving up of something" during lent. I had some catholic friends that gave up alcohol for lent, but did celebrate St Patricks day with a few pints of beer.....Many also gave up meat on Fridays, substituting fish instead.
I always thought too, back in the day, that the giving up of something should not be public, but kept secret until Easter, when it could be revealed that "I had no beer for the past 40 days) or something like that....
I wonder though how others keep and celebrate Lent, if they do, and would love to hear ideas from others. Thanks
In the past, I went vegetarian for one Lent, the first after I was confirmed as an Episcopalian when I was around 35. I was into medieval English historical fiction, and giving up meat was the traditional thing in the Middle Ages. Another year I read The Daily Office from the Book of Common Prayer every day. Psalms another year. The last church I attended usually had a Lenten program of some sort, a Bible or theological study with a specific focus, and I enjoyed that. A couple of times, it would be a soup night, so I would take one week and make my vegan lentil spinach soup. Even meateaters like it.
This year I am giving up Christianity for Lent. However, as I do every Ash Wednesday, I will listen to Allegri's Miserere Mei, Deus. Psalm 51.
What are the rules for Lent? I do think there is value in the ritualistic nature of religion as long as you don't overuse that coping mechanism. Do I have to give up something for 40 days? That is long enough to change a habit.
In the Catholic Church, the only rules under pain of sin for Lent are that you must abstain from meat on Fridays, and fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
What are the rules for Lent? I do think there is value in the ritualistic nature of religion as long as you don't overuse that coping mechanism. Do I have to give up something for 40 days? That is long enough to change a habit.
It depends upon your church. In the Episcopal Church, there are no real rules, there are just some traditions. Some people employ forms of fasting, others forms of service, others forms of devotion/prayer/study.
I used to know a Catholic guy who would have two or three beers at home every night after work. He'd give them up every year for Lent, but around three weeks in after complaining of all the aches and pains he now felt without his nightly anesthetic, he'd go back to his consumption.
I have a Greek Orthodox friend, who although shaped like a broomstick, loves chocolate chip cookies in a way no one else I ever met does. She gives them up for Lent.
I was talking to a Friend who runs a church here in town. His church does celebrate Easter, but Lent is not observed per se. Whereas over at the Episcopal church, Lent is a huge I mean HUGE event.
Got me thinking about the two major seasons Advent and Lent, and I drew back on my previous experiences as well as what I observe now as well. What I see is that Advent is more of an external celebration, focused more on charity, charitable giving, celebrations, and centered more on group activities. BOTH are a focus on hope. Both represent anticipation. Lent however, is more internal, more introverted, allowing the person to focus on cleansing and improving his or her mind and soul in anticipation of Easter.
I also noticed that Emails and even that beautiful calendar of religious artwork that I got free point out days of abstinence and fasting, today being one.
Traditionally, Lent was a time for those who had been cut off from the church to make amends and rejoin the faithful. Today, it seems more of a personal and introspective journey into ones beliefs and faith.
Then there is the "Giving up of something" during lent. I had some catholic friends that gave up alcohol for lent, but did celebrate St Patricks day with a few pints of beer.....Many also gave up meat on Fridays, substituting fish instead.
I always thought too, back in the day, that the giving up of something should not be public, but kept secret until Easter, when it could be revealed that "I had no beer for the past 40 days) or something like that....
I wonder though how others keep and celebrate Lent, if they do, and would love to hear ideas from others. Thanks
Lent is important to the more Liturgical churches like Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, etc. Typically, Baptist, E Free, and other more "Evangelical" ones don't celebrate it.
We will have an Easter Service, and that's about it.
This year fasting, abstaining from meat on appointed days, and almsgiving.
Aiming to give up sweets for the full 40 (minus Sundays).
Some things more that I'll keep secret.
Honestly didn't observe very well last year so trying to do better this.
I am not sure what I will do for Lent. Fasting or "giving something up" during the 40 days originated for those who were going to convert. Originally that was not for everyone. It was a lesson to keep people's minds on the spiritual in preparation for converting. "Giving something up" for Lent was a later addition to observing the season.
To keep Jesus' life in mind during Lent I am going to do no-meat Fridays like we used to do when I was little, LOL. I feel like the intent is the important thing; IOW, if I were to "give up" a certain candy, that wouldn't put my mind on Jesus. It would just be me giving up candy. So I'm doing what I believe the intent to be.
I do nothing different than any other day. Every day is equally important and significant.
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