Lent Season 101
It's Time To Take Part In Our Own Spiritual Journey In That Wilderness
Here we are on the first week of Lent Season. The Season started on Wednesday of the 26th ie. Ash Wednesday, and will continue up to April 9th, ie. Holy Thursday, which is the commemoration of the washing of the feet and the Last Supper. From here, we proceed into Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
For Christians, Lent Season is intended on being the time where one starts the spiritual preparation leading up to Easter Sunday. One embarks on a spiritual journey to acknowledged and commemorate the atonement that Jesus made for us while understanding the meaning of the sacrifices that he made during his ministry, especially in the days and weeks leading up to his crucifixion.
The Lent season last 40 days, which was meant to be a refection of the amount of time that Jesus spent in the wilderness. The journey in the wilderness is described in Matthew 4:1-11 where Jesus went through sacrifices and temptations while being exposed to the elements of nature and what human suffering occurs when one goes it alone. Jesus’s journey in the wilderness incurred suffering that would later allow him to understand and relate to the suffering that man goes through. Jesus could provide that personal guidance because he felt firsthand of the pain that people went through. This makes him our personal friend who knows the pain instead of some distant deity that the pious flock to. Matthew makes the connection of Jesus and the Old Testament through Moses as Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, as Moses spent 40 years in the desert.
To commemorate the sacrifice that Jesus made in the wilderness and the crucifixion and resurrection, many Christians replicate the feelings of the suffering by giving up something that they enjoy or either taken for granted for that same duration. This action is referred to as the Lenten sacrifice.
One could accurately view the Lent season as a nutshell reflection of Jesus’s ministry. A ministry started with a walk in the wilderness to understand sacrifice and human suffering, and then crucified to follow through that agony as a atonement for people’s sins and transgressions. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice in the end of his ministry. The introduction of Jesus, while appearing low-key, was vital in understanding the torment in people’s lives. Jesus is God. Jesus is also man. He was sent to understand humanity. However, in order to understand humanity, he needed to relate to their suffering. What better way to do this than going into a wilderness.
Some Christians will go into forest, wilderness, or the middle of nowhere to replicate this feeling of agony that Jesus experienced. Their bodies will be pushed to the natural extremes in order to understand that exceptional suffering and to provide that brief glimpse of what Jesus experienced. In many ways, one goes full circle. Jesus came to understand human suffering and agony, and in return, many go through suffering to relate to the pain that Jesus experienced.
The Lent season ends with Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This is the time in his ministry that Jesus started to fulfill the sacrifices that God called him to do. The process of atonement began when Jesus was called by God to become a sacrifice for humanity.
Jesus went through with his sacrifice because he loves us and wants to provide Salvation to us as well. This is why Jesus did the things that he did. Early, it was declared that Jesus is both God and man. Jesus became the recipient of the conditions of humanity. This includes their spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical pain. If Jesus couldn’t relate to the pain of the cross and what people experienced, then his sacrifice wouldn’t have meant anything.
God didn’t shield Jesus from that pain either. When Jesus was on the cross with the nails piercing his hands and feet, he felt it as how we would have felt it. When Jesus bled, he bled the same way we do. Jesus cried out in pain in the same manner as we would when going through torment and agony. He didn’t cry because he was acting as someone going through pain; Jesus was crying because he was going through intense pain while experiencing the most extremes of human agony that anyone could be subjugated too. His crown of thorns was ripping the skin on his head.
Jesus was going through emotional torment as well when he was mocked by the guards, and his clothes were subdivided between the soldiers as if one engages in taking the spoils of war. He was humiliated when a sign mockingly called him “King Of The Jews” was placed above his head on the cross. One of the criminals was openly dismissive of Jesus’s Salvation. Not only would Jesus have to fulfill his physical and emotional torment, but he would have to fulfill his spiritual obligations as well that only He could do. Obligations that only Jesus could follow through with because he’s God’s Son.
Fear is a massive component to the crucifixion as well. The fear of the unknown that one would have to embark on while going on their spiritual journey. Jesus would have felt this fear while going through his ministry and knowing what he would have to eventually fulfill in full. His feelings are natural as their also a part of the human condition. While he prevailed, he still would have not been a stranger to fear and the uncertainty that it provided. Uncertainty that we all felt sometime throughout out lives when going through various personal issues.
I admit it’s a massive pet peeve when many imply that one lacks faith if you have fear. Several people declare that they wouldn’t be afraid of the unknown or that there is no concern. Many of times, one gets the impression that one who provides this response is pulling out the typical textbook responses for the sake of collecting spiritual brownie points and trying to paint themselves as righteous, pious Christians.
Doubt, fear, and uncertainty is a natural part of the human emotion. It important to have faith, but it’s still natural to have uncertain feelings about the unknown. Admitting that you have feelings of uncertainty isn’t a sign of weakness or lacking faith. Their is no shame in declaring that one has doubt and uncertainty. Jesus felt plenty of fear in the time leading up to his sacrifices. Right before his arrest, he was crying blood. It would be safe to assume that thoughts of running away consumed his mind. People going through medical or other personal issues have a right be concerned and fearful of the issues they face.
Facing the unknown can be fearful, even if you do have faith. Faith will win in the end, but we shouldn’t imply that having concerns makes that person quote “less Christian”. Tell that to the person who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Many Christians will observe Lent season in various manners. Many Christians, either collectively in some denominations, or individually, will observe the Lent season through occasional acts of fasting. The act of fasting, within the Christian context, is the abstaining of food as a reflection of the sacrifices that Jesus made, as he had occasionally fasted as well. It’s believed by several Christians that occasionally refraining from food will heighten their spiritual senses, and thus, build a stronger relationship with Jesus in the process. If one feels that they need to partake in fasting because it’s a part of God’s calling, then fasting will be a important part of that personal commitment and reflection of God’s love.
Some denominations have other requirements when it comes to food intake for spiritual reasons. Catholics are called to reduce the amount of food that they consume during the Lent Season, and not eat solid food between meals. Their are partial abstinence of meat throughout the season, and Catholics are called to refrain from meat completely for 14 of those days. However, fish is permitted throughout the Lent season. I bring up these interesting tidbits of information because in the early 60’s, McDonald’s introduced the Filet-O-Fish as a response to falling hamburger sales during the Lent season. Many Catholics leaving mass usually went to McDonalds and now they had something to eat besides the Big Mac while still honoring their spiritual commitments.
The Anglican church has various days where those in their congregations are called to fast. Fasting also takes up a significant part of the Lent season calendar for Orthodox Christians as a call to refrain from gluttony. Many Methodist also observe days of fasting as well.
Ash Wednesday
Lent Season starts of Ash Wednesday, which begins on April 9th of this year. Ash Wednesday is usually treated as a day of prayer and fasting for many Christians. The act of making a cross on forehead with ash is done as showing repentance for their sins and actions. Often, this ash is made from burnt palm branches.
Prayer is a essential component of faith. It provides that communication with God as he is our personal friend. Jesus knows of our issues and tribulations because he felt it himself. He knows what joy and happiness is. He also knows what suffering and depression is. Because of this, we can turn to him and talk to him as that friend that we’ve known for many years.
The Why
Usually, those new in their Christian walk might be unfamiliar with certain acts or terminology. As such, your friendly guide is here to expand on some of these ideas, like fasting, sacrifice, the meaning of the Lent Season, and how many individuals and denominations approach the Lent season.
Part of the reason why I cover the various topics in this message is because the examination of the Lent season and the meaning behind it is a good thing. Examination of the various aspects Lent season and the meaning behind it provides a greater understanding of what makes this time special.
For those that might not be familiar with the Lent season or Jesus, just be honest and straight with them. There's no need to resort to stupid gimmicks to get their attention. It will only insult their intelligence.
For many Christians, the representation of Lent through various traditions build experience and better understanding of Jesus’s sacrifice at the end of his ministry. It helps us understand our own faith as well and provided that opportunity to expand or renew our faith.
Faith is a essential component as as understanding God is a ongoing process that remains perpetual. Often faith is a product of our ongoing spiritual growth. Other times, it takes adversity for that faith to grown. People going through personal dilemmas and medical issues often have to grapple with the unknown. As such, faith provides that certainty at a time when they were going through the unknown.
Jesus faced much uncertainty throughout his ministry. He demonstration of faith would serve as a example onto all. Still though, he would have been able to relate to the feeling on uncertainty that us mere mortals would have encountered. While his faith prevailed, he still wouldn’t have been a stranger to the feelings of fear and uncertainty though. Throughout his ministry, Jesus always looked for opportunities to strengthen his faith and those around him.
This Lent Season provides the opportunity to us to do our own spiritual examination as well. A examination that includes understanding the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Many will go through the motions with while the feeling of reluctance or standard token obligations. Sometimes, the person with the feeling must step back from what others expect from him or her and see what they need to do in order to strengthen their own faith.
Embarking on their own spiritual journey would plant the seeds of spiritual enlightenment and soul searching that will bear spiritual fruit eventually. Sometimes, this fruit is bore immediately, while other times, this fruit takes years if not a lifetime.
Plenty of times, this spiritual journey is filled with pain. Often one will encounter various tribulations that will have a effect on their spirituality. Often, circumstances far beyond a person’s control would have that impact as well. Personal and medical issues have such a effect. Human suffering is part of life experience. Life is suffering. Things do happen for a reason. That reason is that things are just part of that life experience. Their is no need for boogeymen, cartoon villains or the absurd conspiracy theories from bloggers with too much time on their hand. Life in itself can be a villain as one goes through with the unknown and the issues associated with it on a regular basis.
What will we do while we’re on our journey through the wilderness this Lent Season? That journey will be filled with doubt and concern. This is normal. However, their will be joy with the relationship that we have with Jesus as well. He is our personal friend that will travel with us while on that spiritual journey. The feelings that you have are the same feelings that Jesus experienced while he was on journey. Jesus is there for us when we turn to him.
Bible Gateway
WWW.BIBLEGATEWAY.COM
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Maundy Thursday
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Filet-O-Fish
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Ash Wednesday
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Fasting - Christianity (I purposely left the picture
the same. Even I have a sense of humor)
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Penance
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Comments
Post a Comment