Spring is soon upon us, and time for spring cleaning.  Not only is this the time for refreshing our physical surroundings, it is also a time for spiritual refreshment and cleansing.  In the Church Year, this annual spring cleaning is called Lent. 

Lent is a season of penitence and preparation for the celebration of Christ’s passage from death to life.  This season of the church year lasts for forty days, excluding Sundays.  Beginning with the early church, Lent was the period of final, intense preparation of adult candidates for baptism who would be baptized at the Easter Vigil.  For those already baptized Lent was a period of time to review the meaning of the Bible, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and Baptism, in preparation for the affirmation of baptism also made during the Easter Vigil – good suggestions for all of us at this time.  (The Easter Vigil was the original way early Christians celebrated the Resurrection with a liturgy of Light, Word, Baptism, and Holy Communion, celebrated on Easter Eve.  Today many churches are reviving this celebration of the Resurrection in addition to the more traditional Easter Sunday services.)  So we can look at Lent as an opportunity for cleansing and renewal as God’s Spirit redirects us to Christ’s life, death and resurrection. 

In addition to this spiritual redirection, you will notice some changes in the nave and the liturgy.  During Lent, the festive decorations, such as bright banners and flowers, are not used.  The liturgy is also more reflective, with the use of the Kyrie, (“Lord have mercy”) instead of the Hymn of Praise, and the omission of “Alleluia”.

Although Lent is a reflective, more sombre time, we do know the ending to this story…we know that Christ died, but that he also rose again and ascended into heaven.  Our “Alleluias” and all the other festive adornments return on Easter!