A second look at Lent

We are now well into the season of Lent – the 40 days before Easter when many Christians observe a fast of some kind before the Easter feast.

Observing Lent is prominent in some Christian traditions as a way of identifying with the sufferings of Jesus and preparing for the glorious release of resurrection Sunday. Within these traditions, a variety of extra practices have accumulated around the basic themes of self-denial and discipline.

Lent tends to be rejected within strong protestant traditions because of its associations with Roman Catholicism; its compulsion as a man-made practice; the superstitious practices associated with it and because of the easy slide into a view that observing Lent impresses the Lord and earns merit points in heaven.

These are weighty concerns and, put together, make good reasons to steer away from the traditional Lent observances.

However, is Lent worth a second look? Can this season be kept as a time of voluntary and private self-denial in order to give oneself more fervently to the word and prayer and to develop the discipline of self-denial and self-control?

Perhaps a pattern like this can be useful:

Word: extended daily readings in Scripture with appropriate reflection and journaling.

Prayer: extended prayerfulness with particular attention to examine our own soul before the Lord with a view to its improvement and also keeping a balance by focussed prayer on a matter outside of the normal prayer horizon.

Self-denial: choosing to deny or minimise indulgence in something that we are free to do, normally do and enjoy. Thus learning to say ‘no’ to ourselves is a help in developing the discipline to say no to things that we are not free to do but find it hard to resist.

Voluntary: there should be no sense of compulsion on ourselves or an attempt to force or pressure others to participate (eg close friends or family members). Such compulsion quite destroys the moment.

Private: Jesus teaches to keep our praying, fasting and alms giving between God and us and not make a public show. Thus someone keeping a Lenten fast may tell an accountability partner, but otherwise should discreetly keep their fast from public view.

Of course, such a fast can be observed at any time and some may wish to deliberately disassociate from Lent for the reasons above. But again, there is something to be said and gained by appropriately constructed sharing in a long-established and widely-observed devotional practice.