"The season of Lent lasts for 40 days, from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. Sundays are not counted because every Lord's Day is a "little Easter" in the Church. Lent corresponds to the 40 days that our Lord Jesus fasted in the wilderness, in which He overcame the temptations of the devil. "
What do you all think of fasting or giving up something for Lent? I dont give up anything for Lent, but I know some reasons people do. So I ask, First, Do you give up anything for Lent. and second, what are your reasons for doing it?
Lord, Who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins
And close by Thee to stay.
As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.
As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.
Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering over past,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last.
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Someone please comment... I have been wondering about this... what are the reasons people give things up for Lent?
-amanda-
The Lenten practice of giving things up started with the Roman Catholic church's idea that we can make ourselves more holy by how we live our lives.
That's not very Lutheran, though! As Lutherans, we teach that only Christ makes us holy, and he does this by His Word and Sacraments, which connect us with His death on the cross.
Lent, therefore, should be a time for us to focus on Christ and His coming to die for us, so that we might live in Him. Lent is the perfect time for reflection. So... I don't give anything up. Rather, I just try to find those things that will help me most look to Christ.
That's what I encourage others to do, too. :-)
Thank you Nathan Im glad I have someone reading this who can put into words basically whats going on in my head, when i cant figure out how to put it.
To answer your first question. No, I don't give anything up for Lent. Kind of like I don't make new years resolutions. I never felt guilty for not making a resolution, and now I don't feel so guilty for not giving anything up.
I started giving up soda for lent a couple of years ago. To me its just a little reminder during lent of what Jesus gave up for me. Not something to make me better, but rather to keep me focused on what lent is really about.
-kevin c-
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