Why Lent?

By Dr. Joshua Taylor, Director of Worship & Music 

What is the season of Lent and why do we celebrate it? These are common questions that get asked each year. Many folks associate Lent with “giving something up” or with “not eating meat on Fridays.” Our worship series, “Nourish,” will explore how we might reframe this season as one about taking on new spiritual disciplines. But where did this observance come from and how did we get to this point?

At the heart of our Christian experience is the Paschal Mystery— our participation in the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. When we proclaimed at Christmas that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), we knew that the story continued from there. When we talk about the Paschal Mystery, we are referring to the whole range of meanings associated with the saving work of Christ and the church’s participation in that work. This is the proclamation of the whole story of the people of God which is brought into focus through Christ’s own story which culminated on Easter and Pentecost (the birthday of the church). As the United Methodist theologian Don Saliers puts it, “Since the beginning of Christian worship, [the events of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection] have given shape and meaning to [each day] of the Christian community’s life.”

So, what is Lent’s role in this holy season? 

Lent is a holy season of preparation. By the 4th Century A.D., the celebration of Easter was seen as requiring a season of preparation. Historically, this would have been the time when converts and confirmands would be instructed in the faith before their baptism and first communion at the Easter Vigil service. The season is forty days modeled after the time Christ spent in the wilderness before beginning his ministry. (You might notice that there are more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. That’s because Sundays are always a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. So, they aren’t counted in the forty days!)

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday which has a dual meaning. Ash Wednesday is the time where we not only confront our own mortality and acknowledge our own shortcomings but also recognize the transformational work that God is doing in our lives and the yet unknown future God has promised us. It is a time of letting go and beginning again. We repent and we grow in grace.

Liturgically speaking, the church has usually given up singing alleluias and other more “joyous” moments in the service as a reminder of our need of Christ and to make the celebration on Easter even more grand! In our 11:00 sanctuary service this year, you will likely notice more periods of silence and the use of repetitive Taizé chants during the service. These repetitive pieces of music are meant to offer space for contemplation through a simple melody. Silence can be used for personal prayer and reflection. Let us use these moments that are out of the norm for spiritual reflection as we contemplate the season.