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This question was posed and answered in a video my friend Jeremy sent me the other night. I didn't actually watch it; but took about 5 minutes exploring on my own and came up with my own thoughts and conclusion.
What's interesting to me is that, with all the Ecumenical background I've had, including Episcopalian and Methodist, I've actually had very little experience with Lent. I don't remember observing it at all in the Episcopal Church where my mother played the organ from around the time I was born until I was about 12. No ashen cross on the forehead, no mention of giving up food or habits. Not even the suggestion of fish on Fridays. The only indicator might have been the color of the altar scarves, but I honestly don't remember. Same in the Methodist Church we were in for the following 10 yrs or so. Even the Congregational Church I was in for about 5 yrs several years ago didn't do much. There may have been ashen crosses available, the altar scarves were changed, but the Pastor had a different perspective on the rest. I don't remember him mentioning the fish thing at all, or if he did, he took the NT approach and counted all food equal. What he suggested rather than giving anything up, and therefore "punishing" ourselves, was the "taking up" of something new. For example, if we struggled with a daily devotional habit, Lent could be a good time to focus on it because it takes about that long for a particular activity to become a habit. While I saw that as a better thing, I still hadn't delved into the whole idea and practice of Lent to puzzle out the "whys and wherefores" of it. So here's what I discovered...
First off, the source of the ashes for the Wednesday before come from the burnt palms of the prior year's Palm Sunday Celebration. If that's where any that I ever had came from, I was unaware of it. The practices I grew up with concerning the palm branches were either to simply lay them out somewhere that you would see them every day and remember Christ or making a cross out of them to put on display. There was no mention of burning them for the next year's Ash Wednesday, so IDK... (maybe it's only the Catholics that bother about all of those details)
Secondly, I was reminded that the 40 days of Lent (because Sundays aren't included somehow), are based on Jesus' 40 days of Temptation in the wilderness. Now is it just me, or does it strike anyone else as odd that Jesus' 40 days and ours don't match up to what follows them?? I honestly hadn't thought that much about it until Jeremy sent me that video link the other night. Our 40 days lead up to Palm Sunday and Easter, which were the END of Jesus' Ministry on Earth. Jesus' 40 days of temptation signified the BEGINNING of His Earthly Ministry. Now I get the bit about giving things up as a remembrance of Jesus' resisting the temptations presented by Satan. That's fine. But the timing makes no sense unless it is simply to clear our hearts to receive the forgiveness Jesus purchased on the Cross.
So my conclusions are as follows -- I see no point in it for a good, properly thinking Christian. No matter the source of the ashes, the fact that the timing in no way matches the example it's said to follow simply doesn't make sense unless that's the time of year it actually happened. There is no way to know that, as the Bible doesn't tell us and the temperatures in Israel during March don't rule it out. (I just checked) Beyond that is the point that many look at Lent as a time of self-deprivation, sacrifice, and therefore punishment. Those who view it that way are essentially saying that Jesus' Ultimate Sacrifice on the Cross wasn't good enough. They have to suffer too. This line of thought and behavior renders Jesus' sacrifice pointless. He took the punishment ONCE for ALL because He was the only one worthy and therefore qualified to do so. If that isn't good enough, how is punishing yourselves going to fix anything?? Besides which, we should be repentant of our sins every time something comes up. Why set aside a special time of year for it?? For that matter, we can technically "re-set" ourselves for Spiritual Growth any time we want by using 2 Cor. 5:17. We don't have to reserve that verse for New Believers, we can use it anytime we feel a need for "turning over a new leaf" in our Spiritual journey. (be sure to check out the current Meeting Messages for more on Spiritual Growth) (Spring 2023)
Finally, there is literally no mention of Lent in the Bible. Now don't get me wrong, if anyone has come to realize that the Bible is potentially imperfect in some translations which may lead to imperfect interpretations, that's me. Growing up as I did in a Baptist School environment, I'm well-versed in the idea that, "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it." But I've come to the awareness as of the last several years in particular that that simply isn't true. If you follow my Sermon Summaries (both here and on the Forum page now), you'll discover my insistence on full context for full understanding. Good, well-researched Commentaries are essential to proper interpretation of Scripture. Also, new information in light of forensic evidence and archeological study bring more light to build the basis for new translations of Scripture which prove to be more accurate than older texts were capable of in their day.
Not only is Lent not mentioned in the Bible, but it has been suggested that, like some other traditional Church practices; it's origins are Pagan. While the Bible mentions the donning of sackcloth and ashes for displays of penance, you only see that in the Old Testament. And as a matter of fact, support of the idea that Lent has it's origins steeped in Pagan practices comes specifically from Ezekiel 8:14 where God shows him a vision of a woman mourning in sackcloth and ashes. She is mourning the Pagan god, Tammuz, who is believed to be none other than the daughter of Ishtar. If that name sounds familiar, it's where we get the name for Easter. I also discovered that worship of Tammuz (and likely other Pagan gods) involved ritual prostitution. (food for thought, isn't it??)
That being said, I have never fully observed Lent and now have more reason than ever to defend that decision. However, in talking about it with my friend, Andrea, yesterday it's not right to make a "blanket statement" on what may be an "individual issue". I'm always wary of doing that, and honestly wasn't going to be with this one. But she's right. As with anything else, it's up to the individual how they see it and what they do with it. I have no problem celebrating Easter because it is perfectly reasonable to remember Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross and His ultimate victory in Resurrection. It also takes place at the appropriate time according to the observation of Passover. And as I've said before, if God can "borrow" from Pagan practices like instituting the entire Jewish Sacrificial System to establish a new Nation and put a new star in Leo to lead the Magi to Him; then we are allowed to "borrow" our traditions as we see fit to honor Him. Lent, on the other hand, simply makes no sense to me for the reasons outlined above.
So that's my "two-cents" on the matter. I just think it's important to understand something as fully as possible before "jumping on the bandwagon" when it may not be the right ride for you. I've learned a lot about that in the past 2-3 yrs, so it's more directly applicable to me to say something than not instead of just going along with a tradition that doesn't necessarily make sense for me. Do with this what you will...
-- God Bless!!
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