What aren't you doing for Lent?

A couple of weeks ago I arrived early at the local crematorium for a funeral I was conducting and got speaking to the organist who must spend most of her days sitting through half-hour funeral services. Anyway - her opening line of the conversation was 'are you non-religious?' I must have looked sufficiently blank as I wondered what had prompted her question - was it because I was wearing a suit and tie rather than a clerical collar and gown - because she quickly continued. The funeral was listed as NC. She wanted to know what this was. I assumed that it meant non-conformist - hence the lack of candles and a simple plain cross at the front of the chapel. (Tucked away at the front of the chapel are a whole range of table top items that allow the crematorium staff to cater for a wide range of religious tastes.)

Another consequence of being NC is that we don't do Lent. At least not in any meaningful way.

Lent is (depending on your tradition) a period of 46 days that runs from Ash Wednesday (today) to Easter Saturday - that's 40 days + 6 Sundays. As Easter moves around the calendar so does Ash Wednesday. 

Lent is traditionally a time of preparation for Christians who are NNC (not non-conformist) in the run up to the events that surround Easter. It is a time for reflection and confession and is often accompanied with self-denial and fasting. 

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day. Pancakes were an ideal opportunity to use up all those ingredients you have in the kitchen that you won't be able to use during the fast of Lent.

At services on Ash Wednesday ashes are applied to the forehead of those in the congregation - these ashes are often made by burning the palm crosses that were given out the previous Palm Sunday. Ashes remind us of our mortality and are often a symbol of mourning and repentance in the Bible.

So why is it that many NC churches don't do Lent? I expect it is a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I expect that there have been periods in history when Lent has been nothing more than a superstition - in the sense that if you don't eat meat for 40 days and you give alms to the poor and the church then God will forgive your sins - no matter how you live the rest of the year. There is always the danger that we think that because we are doing something we are earning God's forgiveness - when in reality it is all about the grace and mercy of God. Jesus warns us that when we fast it should not be a big show for the approval of others, but should just be between us and God. Lent is not mentioned in the Bible - the 40 days probably comes from the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism and before his ministry started.

And so we don't do Lent. The good is thrown out with the bad. But it is interesting to see that things are changing.

Lent provides us with an opportunity to make time, to reflect, to prepare for Easter. We can make time by giving something up. Sometimes we're just looking for something to kick-start or shake up our spiritual journey again - maybe that something could be Lent.

Maybe it could be a time to follow a series of Bible readings and reflections. There are various programmes available on You Version - click here to see the details You will find a lot of others online too.

LICC have a helpful serious of reflections on how the love of God can impact our place of work that they will email to you each day of Lent - click here to see that resource

Christian Aid have a number of resources that encourage us to give thanks for what we have as well as challenging us to think and act on behalf of the millions across the world who do not have. They have resources for children and young people as well as adults, and a great smart phone app too. Visit their website to find out more.