The season of Lent
The season begins on Ash Wednesday, which gets its name from the act that in scripture people would often put ash on their heads as a sign of repentance
What does ‘Lent’ mean?
The name of the season, lent comes from the Anglo- Saxon word ‘lencten’, which simply means spring. The season of Lent spans the 40 days prior to Easter, excluding the six Sundays of lent, and is characterised by a special focus upon seeking God through repentance.
Spring is a fitting illustration as we see the physical world awake from the deadness of winter to new life and beauty.
The season begins on Ash Wednesday, which gets its name from the act that in scripture people would often put ash on their heads as a sign of repentance.
For example, the Prophet Daniel once said, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3).
Ashes are also a reminder of our mortality: “All are from the dust, and to dust all return’ (Ecclesiastes 3:20). So Ash Wednesday signals the start of a season of diligently seeking God’s face.
