Lent FAQ

Author: Marvin Lindsay
February 23, 2023

1. What is Lent? Lent is a season in the Christian year. The word Lent comes from the Old English word lencten, which means springtime. In the northern hemisphere, Lent falls during the spring.
2. How long is Lent? Lent is the 40 days, not including Sundays, prior to Easter.
3. Why 40 days? The number 40 is significant in the Bible. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the devil.
4. Where did Lent come from? We know from early Christian sources that Easter was a favorite day to baptize converts to the faith. People often prepared for baptism by undergoing a period of fasting and study. After Christianity became a state religion and most baptisms were performed on infants, Lent became a time for Christians under church discipline to do penance. In time, Lenten disciplines such as fasting came to be expected of all Christians.
5. Do all Christians observe Lent? No. In fact, Presbyterians have only started observing Lent in the last century. Presbyterians from the 16th to the 19th centuries would fast, but on an irregular basis—in response to some natural or civil disaster, or to give thanks for an unexpected blessing.
6. What does Lent mean for Presbyterians today? The Presbyterian order of worship for Ash Wednesday, the first day in Lent, invites us “to observe a Holy Lent, by self-examination and penitence, by prayer and fasting, by practicing works of love, and by reading and reflecting on God's Holy Word.” Some people “give things up for Lent,” but think of Lent as a time to take up a spiritual practice and ask for God’s grace to work through it to change us for the better.
7. You keep talking about fasting. I’m not so sure about that. Christians fast for many reasons: To demonstrate sorrow for sin; to intensify their prayers, and/or to identify with hungry and hurting people and pray and serve them more fervently.
   If you are interested in trying out this spiritual discipline, you may want to start by giving up a meal rather than going without food for an entire day. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids during your fasting period. If you have chronic or underlying health conditions, consult your doctor first. And remember: Lenten fasting is not about weight loss. It’s about spiritual gain!

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