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Why do we give up things for Lent?
Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent begins on 9 February 2005 and ends on 26 March 2005. In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 24 March (Holy Thursday) and in Orthodox churches, this season is called the Great Lent.
The traditional theme of Lent is one of retreating into the wilderness with Jesus. Forty days of spiritual preparation. Forty days of prayer, reliance upon God to meet our needs, and faithful response to temptation.
For some, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast during Lent by abstaining from mea, which is why some people call the festival Carnival, which is Latin for farewell to meat.
Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism.
By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent. The ancient church that wrote, collected, canonized, and propagated the New Testament also observed Lent, believing it to be a commandment from the apostles.
Lent began in the apostolic era and was universal in the ancient church. For this reason, Lent is observed by the various Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, and Anglican denominations, by Roman Catholics, and by Eastern Orthodox Churches.
So, why don’t all churches observe the season of Lent? Good question.
In the 16th century, the Anabaptists discarded all Christian holy days, on the theory that they were Roman innovations. In the late nineteenth century, ancient Christian documents came to light. The Didache from the first century, the Apostolic Constitutions from the third century, and the diaries of Egeria of the fourth century; all which give evidence of the Christian calendar and holy days.
The Anabaptists gave rise to or influenced the Amish, the Mennonites, the Baptists, the Puritans, and the Plymouth Brethren all of which forbid the celebration of so-called “holy days.” In the 19th century, Over the last decade, the celebration of the seasons of the church year as well as the observance of many of the holy days have been restored in the lives of many congregations. Easter and the season of Lent, Christmas and the season of Advent, as well as Pentecost are probably the most well known among Protestants.
You are invited to into the season of Lent this year with a 7 p.m. worship service on Ash Wednesday and continue your journey with Jesus toward the events of Holy Week with the use of a daily Lenten Devotional written by our Elders, Deacons and Pastors. Devotionals will be distributed on Sunday, February 6 at both services of worship and will be available in the church office after that.
So, "Why do we give things up for Lent?" you ask.
Its really a question of what we specifically "do" to spiritually observe the season of Lenten discipline. You may find that you are called to give up something that is hindering your relationship with God or you may find that you are called to take something on. If you don’t pray regularly, then giving something up may not be nearly as important as starting to pray everyday. If, on the other hand, the spiritual disciplines come fairly easily to you but you know that there is a habitual sin in your life that God desires to remove, then giving up that practice may be your personal Lenten challenge.
Consider Romans 12:1-2 as a guide for your Lenten journey: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
- Carmen
I don't understand the reference to the 'seven words' from the cross. Can you explain?
The "seven words" are seven phrases, sentences, or quotes and constitute everything that Jesus is reported to have said from the cross on Calvary.
(1) When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
(2) One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’" Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
(3) Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
(4) About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46) Which is the first line of Psalm 22 and indicates the entire Psalm which is definately worth reading in the context of Holy Week.
(5) Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." (John 19:28)
(6) When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)
(7) It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice,"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." (Luke 23:46)
What is the difference in PCA Presbyterians and USA Presbyterians?
PCA (Hilton Head PC) is a denomination born out of the southern stream of the Presbyterian Church in 1980 when the Northern and Southern churches merged after having parted ways in the Civil War. The PCA would be considered a more theologically conservative or fundamentalist brand of Presbyterianism. Remember, Presbyterian means a particular form of government - but Presbyterians run the gammit theologically.
PCUSA is a reunion denomination formed in 1983. It is considered the most liberal of the mainline denominations.
Carmen
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