Preparing for Lent

A sign of repentance
Date	February 09, 2013
Section(s)	Religion
Byline	By LINDSEY ADKISON The Brunswick News
Like many Christians, the Rev. Alan Akridge is preparing for the arrival of Lent. As rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Brunswick, it's a special time for him and his congregation, as well as faithful around the world. "For liturgical Christians, the season of Epiphany is followed by Lent, which recalls Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, when we fast and focus on the penitential aspects of our faith. Over time, in order to prepare for this season, Christians celebrated on advance of this season because they needed to rid their homes of the temptations inside," he said. In earlier times, removing these temptations resulted in Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, an event that's still marked today. "(It) resulted from so many of us ridding our homes of sweet things - pancake suppers - and alcohol, etc., which got in the way of the discipline of Lent," Akridge said. Lent will begin this week, with Ash Wednesday. Akridge says that it's a pivotal time in the Lenten season. "On Ash Wednesday, we draw the sign of the cross in ashes - gained from the burning of palms from the precious Palm Sunday - on the foreheads of our ranks and add the words, 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,'" he said. The passage comes from Genesis 3:19. The Rev. John Stephens, senior minister at Wesley United Methodist Church at Frederica, says the passage often reminds Christians of their mortality. "For me, Lent is important, because we all need to prepare fully for the message of resurrection in our lives. We can't really appreciate the need for resurrection if we don't spend time reflecting on our fallen nature and our mortality. This reflection is best accomplished through practices of self-denial and prayer," he said. Ash Wednesday has been an observed in Roman Catholic rituals since the fifth century. As groups broke away from the Catholic Church, some added the rite to their services. Stephens says that Methodists did this early on. "United Methodists have observed Ash Wednesday since our beginning. Some Protestant churches have not participated in seasons of preparation, like Lent and Advent, because they think it somehow identifies them too closely to Roman Catholicism," he said. "The practices of self-denial, fasting, prayer and penance are scriptural principles, not Roman Catholic principles. It is unfortunate that so many Protestants don't practice these holy seasons and disciplines simply because they don't want to be associated too closely with other traditions of Christianity." Wesley United Methodist Church will have an Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Like many other churches, it will be a solemn occasion. "At Wesley, we will gather at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary with solemn music, time for prayer and reflection, and the marking of foreheads with ashes. Some will commit to a fast for the 40 days leading up to Easter," he said. Like Stephens, the Rev. Bert Cramer has observed Ash Wednesday for many years. The pastor of Altama Presbyterian Church in Brunswick says that it's an important step in preparation of Easter. "It's the beginning of Lent, and it helps ups get ready. It's good to use Ash Wednesday to pause and look at where we are," Cramer said. * Lifestyle Editor Lindsey Adkison writes about lifestyle topics. Contact her at ladkison@thebrunswicknews.com, on Facebook or at 265-8320, ext. 316.