The Christian spirituality of the English peoples (including Angles, Saxons, Celts, Brittons, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh) has long been tied to the seasonal changes of nature. Prior to the arrival of Christianity, religion on the British Isles included worship of the Sun, Moon, planets, and cosmic forces that marked day and night, summer, winter, spring, and fall. With the coming of Christianity and the conversion of so many of the English peoples, seasonal patterns became linked to Christian events. Christ’s birth (Christmas) was associated with the winter solstice, marking the end of the darkest time of year and the beginning of Light’s triumph over darkness. Christ’s resurrection (Easter) became associated with spring, a time of new life, of new birth rising from the dead of winter.
Between Christmas and Easter is the forty day season of Lent. The word “Lent” comes from the Old English “lengten.” It means “to lengthen” and refers to the lengthening of daylight hours as we approach springtime. Lent is a time preparation for the new birth of spring, for the spiritual Resurrection we participate in at Easter and ultimately for our resurrection to eternal life after our death.
In his second letter, St. Peter, says to us, “What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” (2 Pet. 3:11b-12a) I encourage us to set aside these days of Lent as a special time of spiritual challenge, to strive to live holy and godly lives. Stretch yourself. Study, fast, examine your life, give selflessly to others in need, and pray often. As Jesus says, “Be perfect… as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48)
Sometimes we will succeed. Sometimes we will fail. And yet neither success nor failure is the point. The goal of Lent is to become ever more aware of how God’s unconditional love, not righteousness or sinfulness, is the foundation of our daily living and the core of our faith.
