So what are you giving up for lent?

[Jack]

Can somebody please explain to a non-Catholic in simple English what Lent is and why it's important?

I don't really think any holidays are important if we try to live each day as holy, but in practice it's difficult not to accept Christmas cards, give kids Halloween candy, etc...

[izzarina]

Can somebody please explain to a non-Catholic in simple English what Lent is and why it's important?

Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter in which Catholics do penance in preparation for the Easter season. The 40 days are symbolic of the 40 days that Christ spend in the desert fasting, and also the 40 years the Jews had to wander in the desert before they could enter into the Promised Land. By restraining the desires of the body (through fasting, abstaining from meat, denying yourself sleep, etc.), the spirit is liberated to embrace and become inflamed with the life of God. At this time of year it is especially appropriate because these little crosses that we voluntarily impose upon ourselves help us to appreciate the redemptive suffering and death that Christ suffered voluntarily on the cross.
I forgot to put my theologian hat back on, so I hope this made sense

[Redwolf]

Can somebody please explain to a non-Catholic in simple English what Lent is and why it's important?

Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter in which Catholics do penance in preparation for the Easter season. The 40 days are symbolic of the 40 days that Christ spend in the desert fasting, and also the 40 years the Jews had to wander in the desert before they could enter into the Promised Land. By restraining the desires of the body (through fasting, abstaining from meat, denying yourself sleep, etc.), the spirit is liberated to embrace and become inflamed with the life of God. At this time of year it is especially appropriate because these little crosses that we voluntarily impose upon ourselves help us to appreciate the redemptive suffering and death that Christ suffered voluntarily on the cross.
I forgot to put my theologian hat back on, so I hope this made sense

Good explanation! I just want to add that it's not only Roman Catholics who observe Lent, but also Anglicans (that's Episcopalians here in the U.S.), the Orthodox and the Coptics (who observe a very strict Lent, with no white flour, meat (including, in the latter part of the season, fowl and fish), sugar, oil, or dairy products) and I believe some Lutherans.

Redwolf

[Redwolf]

Just to add to that, there are observances we do as a body as well. For example, decorative hangings and such are generally removed from the nave or veiled during Lent. The colors of the vestments and altar dressings are changed from the green of Epiphany to Lent's penitential purple. Many Anglican churches will switch from the more upbeat, modern, Rite II to the older, more solemn Rite I during this season...and even those that don't switch will often add the Penitential Rite at the beginning of the Mass. And, most notably, the word "Alleluia" will not be heard again in church until the Great Vigil of Easter.

Many churches also observe this as a time for additional educational and worship opportunities. My old parish used to have "small group" studies on Wednesdays in Lent, preceded by a simple potluck soup supper and closed with the service of Compline.

The Catholic church we were with for a while last year also replaced the water in the holy water fonts with sand...a fitting symbol of our 40 days of symbolically wandering in the desert.

Redwolf

[TelegramSam]

I'm giving up elephants.

[rebl_rn]

Lent isn't only about "giving up" things - you can also pledge to do more things - more time in prayer, more time in Bible study, or more time doing something you DON'T want to do (but know you should) just as much as you give up something you DO want to do.

I hadn't really thought about what to give up for Lent until today. Last year I gave up chocolate, that is REALLY hard for me. I am going to read my Bible more, and read secular things (like romance novels) less -1/2 hour a day at the most. I read A LOT so that's a huge sacrifice. Maybe I'll play my whistle more if I'm not reading!

And Izzarina's right, St. Patrick's Day doesn't count (it's a day of dispensation).

Beth

[Feadan]

I know it is difficult but I think we should all give up abstinence...


Cheers,
David

[Will O'B]

Back in the olden days (when I was but a wee lad), Lent was a time when adults could only have one meal a day. At that time, "meatless Friday" was a weekly occurence throughout the year. We were required to give up something that we really liked and also to do something that we disliked -- both as a form of penance. Neither of these things could be harmful to the individual. For instance, giving up playing basketball was not a good idea because it was a good form of exercise. Giving up sweets, on the other hand, was often a big one. My doing something that I disliked usually involved rolling out of bed at 5:30 each morning to walk to 6:00 mass. Other people would eat vegetables that they disliked and things like that. Besides being a form of penance, these sacrifices were also looked at as being character builders.

Will O'Ban

[TyroneShoelaces]

I'm giving up elephants.

sounds heavy.

[cowtime]

The colors of the vestments and altar dressings are changed from the green of Epiphany to Lent's penitential purple. Many Anglican churches will switch from the more upbeat, modern, Rite II to the older, more solemn Rite I during this season...and even those that don't switch will often add the Penitential Rite at the beginning of the Mass. And, most notably, the word "Alleluia" will not be heard again in church until the Great Vigil of Easter.

Many churches also observe this as a time for additional educational and worship opportunities. My old parish used to have "small group" studies on Wednesdays in Lent, preceded by a simple potluck soup supper and closed with the service of Compline.

We do a lot of this at my church(Episcopal). Although we like to use Rite I most of the time so during Lent we generally will use Rite II, saving Rite I to come back on Easter. Just last week I was thinking that we would not be saying Alleluia again until Easter. But, I have taught the choir a new Kiyre(I know this is spelled wrong- I'ts late and my brain is just too tired)

We also do the potluck supper, and then work on music and follow up with compline. This is one reason I really look forward to Lent. This year we've got a very intresting line up of Wednesday musical work- studing plainsong chant, a guest organ and choirmaster from Roanoke who I've worked with before and he is amazing. He will be teaching chanting the psalms, and a bunch of other new musical stuff. I can't wait. I guess I'll be giving up TIME since I have to drive an hour to get to the sister church where all this will take place- my Wed. during Lent will be leaving home at 7:30 AM to go to work and getting home around 10 that night.

[mukade]

I'm giving up for Lent.

Mukade

[Redwolf]

The colors of the vestments and altar dressings are changed from the green of Epiphany to Lent's penitential purple. Many Anglican churches will switch from the more upbeat, modern, Rite II to the older, more solemn Rite I during this season...and even those that don't switch will often add the Penitential Rite at the beginning of the Mass. And, most notably, the word "Alleluia" will not be heard again in church until the Great Vigil of Easter.

Many churches also observe this as a time for additional educational and worship opportunities. My old parish used to have "small group" studies on Wednesdays in Lent, preceded by a simple potluck soup supper and closed with the service of Compline.

We do a lot of this at my church(Episcopal). Although we like to use Rite I most of the time so during Lent we generally will use Rite II, saving Rite I to come back on Easter. Just last week I was thinking that we would not be saying Alleluia again until Easter. But, I have taught the choir a new Kiyre(I know this is spelled wrong- I'ts late and my brain is just too tired)

We also do the potluck supper, and then work on music and follow up with compline. This is one reason I really look forward to Lent. This year we've got a very intresting line up of Wednesday musical work- studing plainsong chant, a guest organ and choirmaster from Roanoke who I've worked with before and he is amazing. He will be teaching chanting the psalms, and a bunch of other new musical stuff. I can't wait. I guess I'll be giving up TIME since I have to drive an hour to get to the sister church where all this will take place- my Wed. during Lent will be leaving home at 7:30 AM to go to work and getting home around 10 that night.

I wish we did Rite I as a regular thing...I much prefer it myself.

We do plainchant every Sunday, but during Lent we get to work on our Anglican chant, as we do at least one Evensong during the season. I love Anglican chant...wish we did more of it!

Another thing we give up for Lent in our parish is descants (normally we'd have a descant for both the processional and the recessional)...I don't know if that's universal or if it's just a special observance of our choirmaster.

Redwolf

[rebl_rn]

Just thought I'd post a couple of thoughts about Lent, from our bishop, that we got at church tonight.

What is Lent? Lent means "lengthen, spring". It refers to the lengthening of the daylight hours that occurs in the northern hemisphere as spring approaches. In Lent we pray to lengthen (deepen) our understanding of the Lord.

What is the atmosphere for Lent? During this time we reflect upon our mortality. We test ourselves to see if we are in the faith. This is a time to evaluate our priorities and discern if we are following God's purpose for our lives. More important, we reflect upon the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

This helped explain things to me, anyway.

Beth

[Flyingcursor]

I suggested to my wife that I give up monogamy for Lent but for some odd reason she didn't concur.

[jbarter]

We could all try giving up using the word 'snarky'. Odds on individual board members making it all the way through Lent will probably appear in the British Gambling thread.