I grew up with the knowledge that one gave up something for Lent and added something religious to acknowledge the 40 days and nights leading up to Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus. As a child, I would give up something easy like chocolate which I really didn't like anyway and I would promise to try and be good for the week (this usually lasted for less than a day but the intention was there. I can't state I was a bad child but I was the oldest of 13 and have always had my own opinion on everything. I call myself an independent thinker now.) As a family we already attended mass every day and twice on Holy Days (kinda what happens when you attend Roman Catholic schools). We would also only have fish on Fridays. I looked forward to Fridays because that was the only time we actually got to eat fish and I loved it.
But it wasn't until I was in college and taking a Religions in America class that I really learned what it all meant, especially to me. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of a person via prayer, penitence, almsgiving, and self-denial. I would challenge my professors telling them to cite the exact reference to The Bible that states this ritual. There is none. In reality, it wasn't until the 2nd century that the church began using that season as a time to encourage us how to think, live, and believe as Christians. This would be done by reliving the Scriptures of Christ's time before He was killed, culminating in His Resurrection Easter Sunday.
As the centuries passed, the idea of what Lent was shifted to looking at the depth of one's own sin and a time for learning what it means to follow Christ and a time for actually changing your ways to be more as Christ would have wanted you to be.
This is how modern Lent came about. It is traditional to give up or fast from something that we do a lot of and that we find pleasure in. It is done so we learn self-control and to free our minds of material things and to tell ourselves no and really do it. Giving things up is to help us identify with Christ's sufferings and to remember what the true pleasures are for Christians. It is also a time for us to reflect on what we have done wrong and confess our sin and take appropriate action to not do it again.
But Lent isn't just about giving something up - it's also about adding good things to our lives - you know those good things that Jesus wants us to do all the time. It is a time to reconcile yourself to someone you don't like. It is a time to do acts of kindness to others just because and without adoration or acknowledgement. It's a time to reflect on how you can help serve Christ and others.
I usually give up swearing. I was brought up around people where swearing was as natural as saying your name. I didn't realize it wasn't allowed in society until I got to school and the nuns would whack my hands everytime one of those words came out of my mouth which I admit was a lot. That language is still 2nd nature to me and so every Lent, I give up swearing but usually make it painful by putting a monetary donation to a jar behind it. This year every swear word is worth $10.00. And I still won't eat meat on Friday.
I also have been re-reading The Bible - a few readings every night along with reflecting on something ordinary that I do every day and think about What Would Jesus Say or Do with what I did that day and use that as my journal passage for the day (yes I still write in my journal almost every night). I also attend all special worship services (I love Holy Week Services) but because of my lily allergy I can never attend Easter services - those I do via the television.
