The Parish Church of Saint Matthew
Big Lamp ~ Newcastle
The Church Season of Lent
Lent
is
a
season
of
the
Church
year,
which
runs
up
to
the
celebration
of
Easter.
It
is
a
penitential
time,
which
means
that
it
is
characterised
by
simplicity
and
self-restraint.
This
is
why
many
Christians
"give
up
something
for
Lent."
At
Saint
Matthew's,
the
Liturgy
aims
to
reflect
something
of
this
penitential character.
Centuries
ago,
in
some
churches,
Lent
was
the
period
of
final
preparation
for
Baptism
and
initiation
into
the
membership
of the Church.
We
speak
of
its
being
forty
days
long,
but,
in
fact
it
is
longer
than
that,
because
the
Sundays
are
not
counted
(Sundays
are
celebrations
of
the
Resurrection
and
cannot,
therefore,
be
penitential
in
the
same
way).
None-the-less,
the
Liturgy
on
Sundays
in
Lent
reflects
the
character
of
the
season.
The
first
day
of
Lent
is
called
Ash
Wednesday
,
because
of
the
ceremony of ashes associated with the day.
The
period
of
forty
days
is
associated
with
Christ's
withdrawal into the wilderness:
The
Spirit
immediately
drove
Jesus
out
into
the
wilderness.
And
he
was
in
the
wilderness
forty
days,
tempted
by
Satan;
and
he
was
with
the
wild
beasts;
and
the
angels
ministered
to
him.
Mark 1: 12f (see also Matthew 4: 1 - 11; Luke 4:a 1 - 13)
During
Lent,
Christians
try
to
take
on
additional
spiritual
activities
to
deepen
their
Faith
in
anticipation
of
the
Easter
celebration.
It
is
at
this
time,
in
particular,
that
we
follow
the
Stations
of
the
Cross
-
a
set
of
devotions,
which
follow
Christ's
journey
from
his
trial
to
His
burial.
Many
churches
(like
Saint
Matthew's)
have
a
set
of
pictures
around
the
walls
to
accompany
this
devotion.
We also veil many of the decorations as a sign of simplicity.
Let
culminates
in
Holy
Week
,
during
which
we
follow
the
events
leading
up
to
Christ’s
Passion
and
Crucifixion before celebrating His Resurrection at Easter.
