The Season of Lent
For the past few months, I’ve been revisiting older devotions and bible studies I wrote years ago. I also have notes I have collected over the years. Since we are approaching the Season of Lent, I decided to post these notes. — Ty
The Season of Lent
Lent is the season of the church year in which Christians celebrate Jesus’ life, death and resurrection during a forty day period. The forty day period is based on the 40 days and 40 night, Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting after his baptism(Matthew 4:2). Satan knew Jesus was hungry and exhausted and proceeded to tempt Jesus to sin on three occasions, but of course, Satan did not succeed.
During this season, the color purple is used to symbolize repentance, humility and suffering.
Important Days
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. The ashes used by the priests are from last year’s palm tree branches. Ashes in the bible were used synonymously with the word “sackcloth”. These both were signs that a person was sorry for his or her sins or in mourning. Many times an individual would tear his clothes, throw ashes on their head, sit in the dust and wear a sackcloth as a physical sign to others of repentance or mourning. Some individuals in the bible who did this was Tamar (2 Samuel 13:19) and Job (Job 2:8).
Passion Week is the week before Holy Week. It is a time for us to turn our hearts and minds toward Jesus’ suffering on the cross to save us from our sins. This is something we should do all year, but the Church especially highlights this reflection time prior to Easter.
Holy Week is the week before Easter. Most of the Easter story takes place during this week.
On Palm Sunday Jesus traveled into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowd placed palm branches on the ground at his feet. The palm tree was a tree of honor. This day starts Holy Week. Mark 11:8-10
During Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his twelve disciples had their “Last Supper” together. During this dinner, Jesus asked us to remember him by observing the Lord’s Supper.
Passover is an annual Jewish holiday that reminds the Jewish people of how God freed them from slavery in Egypt. The Angel of the Lord ”passed over” the homes marked with the blood of a lamb on their doorframes, but killed all the other firstborn of Egypt. Read Exodus 12
The Passover also has a special meaning for Christians. Jesus’ last supper with His disciples was the Passover meal. This was the first communion meal.
Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified on the cross.
Resurrection Sunday or Easter marks the end of the Lent season.
