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Prepare for Easter's Joy!!!!!

Christians, no matter what the denominational background may be, can benefit from a time of preparation leading up to Easter. Historically, the season called Lent allowed for this spiritual preparation for the joys of Easter.

In the first few centuries of the Christian Church, it was common to baptize new Christians on the eve of Easter and sfter they would participate. in the first worship of Easter. It was customary for those to be baptized to fast for two or three days before their baptism.

By the year 325, that custom of a two or three day fast had been extended to a forty-day fast leading up to baptism, with the whole church joining those to be baptized in the time of preparation. The forty day fast was based on Jesus' own fast which followed his baptism in the Jordan River. Moses and Elijah also kept forty-day fasts.

The fast of lent was observed by eating only one meal a day--in the evening--with no meat, or fish, and in most places no eggs, also were forbidden. Every Sunday was a feast of the resurrection, and so they were not considered fast days. Therefore, the forty-day fast lasted for the six weeks from Ash Wednesday (which Christians celebrated yesterday) through Easter Eve.

By the fifteenth century, fasting gradually fell out of favor, as previously banned food items were added to people's meals, eggs coming first. In time, the only fast days observed were Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. However, the entire forty-day period continued to have its character as a time for denial [giving something up]and self-examination.

The reformation further took its toll on the observance of Lent. The reformers rightly knew that we cannot earn God's love. Lent seemed to many people as an attempt to earn God's favor. Therefore, most reformed denominations dropped the observance of Lent, which had been common in the Christian faith for centuries.

Of course, all Christians affirm that we cannot work our way into heaven. We cannot earn God's favor and love. It is through faith alone that we are made right in God's eyes.

However, a time of self-examination is always helpful. Keeping this time during the historic forty days of Lent, which lead up to Easter is a most appropriate time.

Lent is an inward journey, a time for concentration on fundamental values and priorities.

You may have heard of people "giving up" things for Lent. One Lenten custom is to mark the season by "giving up" some thing and "taking on" something else. Either can serve to mark the season as a holy time of preparation for Easter.

Some examples of things people give up for Lent include: sweets, meat for all ,or some meals, tobacco, or alcohol. Other things that that people "give up" might include television, unnecessary work hours. Whatever you pick is a very personal choice. Denying yourself chocolate, for example, is a way to say that your love of God matters more than your love of chocolate.

In most cases, giving up something for Lent is more meaningful if you use the money or time for another purpose. For example, meal times on fast days could be spent in prayer. if you give up meat during Lent, the money spent purchase meat dishes can be given to a group, such as Albion Interfaith Ministries or the Salvation Army. Both groups help needy families in our own county to get food.

Some things added during Lent could be daily Bible reading, times of prayer, taking a course of study related in some way to your faith, more frequent church attendance, begining tithing or spending "quality time" with your children or your spouse, or the family.

Whatever you deny yourself or add to your personal discipline, the goal is increasing your own awareness of God in your life.

Lent should be a time of deeper reflection, a time to discover and remove the self-made barriers that keep you from experiencing God more fully. Then your joy in celebrating Easter will be all the more meaningful as you will have spent this last six weeks drawing closer to God.


(The Rev. Edward Scully is pastor of Saint James' Episcopal Church in Albion.