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  • Hidden Riches of Lent

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    Albert Wagner
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    For most people it conjures images of giving something up, such as a certain kind of food. The author asks, "how does giving something up bring you any closer to God?" "by remembering the sacrifice of Jesus for humankind," says the author. "To remind humans of things like moderation and balance in life"

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    For most people it conjures images of giving something up, such as a certain kind of food. The author asks, "how does giving something up bring you any closer to God?" "by remembering the sacrifice of Jesus for humankind," says the author. "To remind humans of things like moderation and balance in life"

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    18 views3 pages

    Hidden Riches of Lent

    Uploaded by

    Albert Wagner
    For most people it conjures images of giving something up, such as a certain kind of food. The author asks, "how does giving something up bring you any closer to God?" "by remembering the sacrifice of Jesus for humankind," says the author. "To remind humans of things like moderation and balance in life"

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    HiddenRichesOfLent

    Lent.
    Whatdoesthiswordmeantoyou? ChristiansshouldknowitisLentenseasonagain.Formostpeopleitconjuresimagesofgiving somethingup,suchasacertainkindoffood. LenthasbeenaChristiantradition(especiallyCatholic)inmoderntimesanditisacknowledged asameaningfultimeoftheyear.ItismeaningfulbecausetheResurrectionOfJesusisthe essenceoftheChristianbelief. Theseposts,however,areaboutmorethanrecitingfacts.Theyareaboutexaminingwhywedo thingssopeoplecanstopandthinktoevaluatewheretheyare. EveryyearwehearaboutLent.Thequestiontheauthorasksinthispostis,

    HowdoesgivingsomethingupbringyouanyclosertoGod?
    TherearethingsintheBiblethathintatsomethinglikeaLentenseason,evenifthewordisnot usedspecifically.MostpeoplerefertothefastingofJesusfor40daysbeforebeingtemptedby theDevil. ThewordLentitselfcomesfromaTeutonic(German)wordthatmeanssomethingresembling 'Spring".Itmeansarenewal.Inthissenseitsignifiesbeginninganewlifethatisbetter.

    WhatShouldLentMakePeopleAwareOf?
    Gettingbacktothequestionabove,justhowdoessacrificingbringpeopleclosertoGod? Herearesomeresponsesoftheauthor,whichhelpsputincontextthesignificanceoftheLenten season:

    1.ByrememberingthesacrificeofJesusforhumankind.
    AmainthemeofLentistheResurrectionofJesus.HaveyoueverstoppedtothinkthatJesus didnothavetoatoneforthesinofhumans?Godcouldhavechosentoleaveyoudeadtoyour sinsandaneternityoftorment.Technicallythisiswhathumansdeserve. OnethingtorememberisthelevelofsufferingthatJesusvoluntarilytookonforthisatonement. Hewasnailed,scourgedandbeaten,etc.totakeyoursinsoyoudon'thaveto. WhydoesGodloveyousomuchtosacrificehisonlyson?Ifyouhavechildrenwouldyou sacrificeyouronlychild?

    Also,togothrough40dayswithoutfoodordrinkforahumanwouldbepainful,tosaytheleast.

    2.Toremindhumansofthingslikemoderationandbalanceinlife.
    IfyouaregivingsomethingupforLentthereisachanceyouareusingtoomuchofittherestof theyear. Ifyouarefocusedongivingsomethingupitalsogetsyoutothinkabouthowoftenyouuse whateveritis.Yourlevelofusemightbemorethanyouthought. IntheEasternOrthodoxtraditionfastingisalwaysaccompaniedbyprayer.TheDevilistempting humans,justlikehedidtoJesus.WhatGodcreatedwasgood,inmoderation.

    3.ToremembersacrificesthatweremadebeforeJesuscametoearth.
    IntheOldTestament,beforetheMessiahcame,sacrificeswereofferedtoGod,including animals.Whatdidtheseanimalsdotodeservethispunishment?Theytookonthesinsof humans. Itremindsusthatsomethinghadtobedonetoatoneforhumansin.Ontheirownhumans wouldbeinadark,unforgivingplace.Withoutasacrificeofsomesorthumanswouldbeleft withtheirownsinandtheconsequencesofit. Thewagesofsinisdeath.(Romans6:23)

    4.Tostrengthenapersonspiritually.
    Thisisimportant.WhenJesusfasted(andprayed)inthedeserthewaspreparingfor temptationbytheDevil.(GospelOfMatthew4:111)Thistellspeopleittakespreparationtoface thetemptationsoftheDevil.Jesusisyourguide. Humansfacesimilartemptationsinmoderntimes.Humanswerenotbornwiththeautomatic strengthtoresistthesetemptationsandittakesefforttosucceed. TheseremindersshouldhelpapersonprogressintheirrelationshipwithGod. AsPopeFrancisrecentlyputit,"Lentshouldshakeusfromour'torpor'".

    Ifyougotomoremassesthistimeofyearjustrememberitisnotmeanttorestrictyou.Itisnot meanttoboreyou.Ratheritistohelpyouacknowledgetheamazingpossibilitiesthatarebefore

    you,ifyouchoose. Goddoesnotwantyoutosufferjusttosuffer,butrathertoreflectandlearn.InChristianity sufferingisredemptive.

    HappyLentenSeasonToEveryone

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