Meaning of Lent

It's Lent,

My favorite time of the year. Holy Week then Easter. This is the time of year that beckons the coming of Spring: nature is coming alive again, the sun is stronger, brighter, and more certain, and people's spirits begin to lift. For some reason, there just seems to be more hope.



But Lent is more than just not eating meat on Fridays, and giving up something, and then begrudging and complaining. Lent is a time to reflect upon your life: how you treat others, and your relationships with others and God. It's time to think about your actions, be sorry for those you have hurt in any way, and to make ammends for those you may have hurt, and then to ask those hurt, and God for forgiveness. In doing this, pennance, or offering something up to God in return for forgiveness, and as a way of 'self cleansing', is the point of Lent. Personal sacrifice, as Jesus supposedly sacrificed himself by fasting and going on a spiritual journey in the desert for 40 days, and being tempted by Satan. Whether the journey was 40 days or not is not important. But what is important is making sacrifices, doing pennance, and being thankful for what you have, especially during Lent -- Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday (40 days).

Lent is spiritual renewal of Self. It is rebirth (e.g. Easter bunny, eggs, Spring). It is the death of the old self, and rebirth of the new. That is what 'giving up' something for Lent means. I prefer working on personal qualities to add more meaning. This is just another, but ultimate way, of bringing one's Self closer to God and to others, without complaining.