Lent is the season of the Christian Year when we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s triumph over death and our redemption – Easter. Lent is the forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays). The forty days reminds us of the forty days that Christ spent in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil as he began his ministry. It also reminds us of the forty years that the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness before they came to the Promised Land.
Lent is a time for simple living, Bible study, prayer, and fasting to help us grow closer to God. It is a time to slow down, ignore the distractions that constantly bombard us, and work to strengthen our ability to resist the temptations we face every day. In other words, it is a time to concentrate on being more Christ-like and striving to bring about His kingdom here on Earth.
Without Lent we miss out on much of the wonder and the glory of Easter. Lent is a time when we make the transition from the cold dark days of winter to the beauty and promise of spring. We can’t truly appreciate spring if we haven’t lived through the days of winter.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Christians around the world celebrate this day by attending church and having ashes in the form of the cross placed on their forehead or hand. The ashes serve as a highly visible sign that a person is a Christian. They offer an excellent opportunity to talk about the Christian faith when others ask about the strange mark. The ashes also remind us that we come from dust and that we will return to dust.
Holy Week
Holy Week is when we commemorate Christ’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his imprisonment, trials, and crucifixion. All these events lead up to the miracle of Easter.
Palm Sunday
On the Sunday before Easter we celebrate Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We call it Palm Sunday, because many people placed palm fronds on the ground in front of Jesus as he rode into the city on a donkey.
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday we commemorate the Last Supper. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum which means commandment. It refers to Jesus’ commandment to his disciples, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another.” – John 13:34
Good Friday
Good Friday marks the day that Jesus was put to death on the cross. Many people wonder why this day is called “Good” Friday. Jesus suffered a horrible death on this day. The origin of the term is uncertain. The fact that Jesus willingly went to the cross and sacrificed himself for the forgiveness of our sins is certainly the ultimate testament to His goodness.
Easter
Christmas and Easter are the two most important days of the Christian Year. On Christmas we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s humble birth. On Easter we celebrate Christ’s miraculous triumph over death. On the third day after He was put to death, Christ rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples and many others. His Resurrection proved that He truly is Emmanuel – God among us.