Lent
You might have heard of Lent, or even give something up during Lent, but what does it mean for Christians?
The word Lent comes from a shortened old English word for ‘lengthen’. Lent is observed in spring when the days are getting longer. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days up to Easter day. 40 days reflects the length of time Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying before he started his public ministry. Christians sometimes observe Lent by giving something up as a reminder to themselves that it is a time of repentance, self-reflection, Bible study and prayer, in the hope they become better people and strengthen their relationship with God.
The great prophet Isaiah proclaims that God’s people should be changed by their time of self-reflection and fasting otherwise it is pointless. “The kind of fasting I want is this: remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless.” Isaiah 58:6-7.