About Lent

Tomorrow is the first day of Lent, commonly called Ash Wednesday. Lent has occupied a place in the Christian year from the very earliest days. It is basically an extended time of examination and penitence in anticipation of the celebration of the salvation our Lord accomplished for us in His Passion, Burial and Resurrection.

Historically Lent has been a time where Christians practiced fasting and various other Christian disciplines. (The reader has doubtless encountered someone who was "giving up X for Lent.") In this post I am going to provide some guidelines that apply to the traditional Lenten practice of fasting, but before I do, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, Lent is not primarily about giving things up, but about taking things on. We are, for example, taking on the discipline of fasting, not merely giving up eating at certain times. This seems like a minor point, but I think existentially it is difficult to overstate its importance.

Second, Lenten disciplines (whether fasting, prayer, scripture reading, works of mercy or charity, etc.) are not means of gaining favor with God, or earning extra-credit. Now it is certainly true that each of these things are vitally important means of grace for living the Christian life ("However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting..." Matt. 17:21). Our status before God, however, is secured by Christ our covenant head, who St. Paul calls "our righteousness." And "as long in heaven He stands no tongue can bid me thence depart..." Christian disciplines are rather ways whereby we seek to, as the Apostle writes, " lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Heb 12:1).

Last, Lent is a special time set aside for the observing disciplines that should mark our entire lives. Temperance in food and drink, prayer, penitence for our sins, and works of charity should, of course, be hallmarks of our entire lives as Christians, not just the six weeks leading up to Easter. I think this is intuitive. Should we thank God for the lives of loved ones only on their birthdays? Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ only on Easter? Express our love to our spouse only on anniversaries or Valentines Day? Of course not. Rather, these are special times that stand perpendicularly to the rest of the calendar, allowing us to see from a different perspective things we often take for granted.

Now for some guidelines on fasting from Fr. Michael Eatmon:

The Church’s Discipline of Fasting and Abstinence
A holy obligation and solemn discipline for the faithful, fasting serves Christ’s disciples as a palpable reminder
ever to die to self and earthly longings, in order to live freely and faithfully unto God.
The outline below is provided both for instruction and for convenience.

Days of Fasting
All baptized adults should consume during the forty days of Lent no more than two meals per day (with
meat permitted at one) or one full meal (meat permitted) and two half-meals (without meat). N.B. Sundays
are always excepted from disciplines of fasting and abstinence, as all are lesser feasts of the Resurrection.

Days of Abstinence
All confirmed adults abstain from meat (animal products included in some traditions, seafood excluded in
others) every Friday, except between Christmas and Epiphany and on major feast days.

Days of Fasting & Abstinence
All confirmed adults consume on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Ember Days, and the Wednesdays and
Fridays of Lent no more than two meals per day or one full meal and two half-meals (with no meat at all).