Season of reflection and atonement

Mar 20, 2010, 12.00am IST
Vivekmani Lakra.


Spring is round the corner. It is also the time when Christians begin the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday.

Lent is preparation for Easter and it is a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. It culminates in Easter. It is the time set aside for reflection and atonement. On Ash Wednesday, the priest while applying ashes on the forehead of the faithful, says, "Remember, thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return."
This is a suitable time to look inward. Lent is a time specially to forgive our enemies as Jesus forgave his persecutors before His life ended saying: "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34) and this is an opportunity to repent for one's wrong deeds.
The last week of Lent is known as 'The Holy Week', the week immediately preceding Easter or Resurrection Sunday. It is observed in many Christian churches as a time to commemorate and enact the suffering or Passion and death of Jesus. While some church traditions focus specifically on the events of the last week of Jesus's life, many liturgies focus on the larger themes that marked Jesus's entire ministry. Observances during this week range from daily liturgical services in churches to informal meetings in homes to participate in a Christian version of the Passover Seder.
The reasons as to why the Lenten season is observed for a period of 40 days are many. There is an important relation of the number "40" with the Holy Bible. We can find in the book of Exodus of the Old Testament that Moses prayed to God while staying on Mount Sinai for 40 days. After getting freedom from the Pharaoh of Egypt, the Israelites travelled for 40 long years to reach their native land, Israel. During Noah's time, it rained continuously for 40 days and the whole earth was flooded (Genesis 7:17). And before beginning His ministry Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days in the desert (Luke 44:2-13), he was laid in the tomb for 40 hours after his death and before He was taken up into Heaven, He stayed with His people for 40 days (John 21). Hence the number "40" has been included by different churches in the Lent as a numeral of great significance.
The words 'repent' and 'repentance' appear several times in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament of The Holy Bible, emphasising the need for people to change their sinful ways and turn to God. Jesus himself asked people to repent. St. John the Baptist who foretold the coming of Jesus, preached saying: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" and "therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance". In the Old Testament, Prophet Joel said: "Now therefore", says the Lord, "turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments'' (Joel 2:12-13).


Finally, the appropriate meaning of fasting and repentance can be brought out when we sacrifice our desires and also share what we have with those who are not as privileged as we are. Hence for getting free of problems, we need to abstain from wrong deeds. The idea is that every individual should go on with his life without hurting another and in times of emergency and difficult situations, we should help each other. This way, good deeds generate more good deeds and we would have something worthwhile to show in the balance sheet of life.