What is Lent?

Lent is the time of the year when we think about our Lord’s suffering and death upon the cross. During Lent we remember how much Jesus loves us – enough to give His life to save us from our sins.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts all the way to Easter, a 46 day period. If all Sundays are excluded, which have never been days of fasting, there are 40 days of Lent. This reminds us of the 40 days that our Lord spent in the wilderness before He began His public ministry. Moses also fasted and prayed for 40 days. Elijah fasted for 40 days and nights.

The date of Lent is determined by the date of Easter. The Council of Nicaea determined in 325 A.D. that Easter would be observed on the first Sunday following the 14th day of the Paschal Moon. The earliest that Lent can begin is February 5th. That happened last in 1818 and did not occur again during the 20th Century. The latest that Lent can start is March 10th. It won’t be that late until the year 2038. This year Lent begins on Wednesday, February 17th.

The word “Lent” itself comes from the Anglo-Saxon term lencten, which means “spring.” This is a reference to the season in which the observance occurs. The spiritual connotation is that Lent is a time particularly designed to deepen and strengthen our spiritual lives.

Ash Wednesday marks our entrance into the season of Lent. It’s been observed since the 7th century. Its name is derived from the ancient practice of sprinkling ashes upon the heads of penitent people who had confessed their sins. One of our Lenten practices here at Pilgrim Lutheran is to place ashes upon the foreheads of those who come forward as part of our Ash Wednesday worship.

So Lent is 40 days of preparing ourselves for Jesus’ suffering and death upon the cross. Besides our regular Sunday services, we offer special Midweek Lenten services that are designed to help prepare you as well. Be sure to use this season as a time of prayer and devotional study as you look at our sinfulness and our Savior who came to free us from our bondage to sin.