Lent

The collective church is really bad at explaining things. There are times when we stand, sit, kneel. There is a specified cadence to our collective speak. We have front doors that, for no apparent reason, remain locked, and back doors that are the secret front door for congregants. Then we don't explain any of it. It's no wonder visitors have no idea what's going on, much less congregants! 

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Lent is a season in the Christian Calendar. (That round thing to the left. That's the Christian Calendar.) There are special days Christians observe, like Easter or Christmas. Those days usually fall within seasons. Easter is actually it's own season. (More on that later.) Lent too is it's own season. It begins Ash Wednesday, and lasts 40 days, excluding Sundays, leading up to Easter. Lent is wilderness time. It is 40 days to help us recall the Israelites 40 years and Jesus' 40 days in the Wilderness. It is a time where we get back to basics and let go of the things that are not needed. For many Christian traditions it's a time of fasting. For others, it's a time to take up a Christian practice, or let go of a bad habit.

Lent concludes with  Holy Week, Holy week begins after Palm Sunday and includes: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. It is the darkest time of the Christian Year because we remember the Crucifixion of Christ. Some Christian Traditions strip the liturgical colors from the church for these few days, or put up black liturgical colors.

This Lenten season, we are looking at different parts of Christian tradition. Next week we will look closer at the liturgical colors. What do they symbolize, and why do we use them?

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