Lent is a religious season observed by many groups of Christians, including Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Anglicans, Moravians, and others. It refers to the period of 40 days (not including Sundays) that lead up to Easter.
While Lent itself is not specifically outlined in the Bible, the concept of the 40 days is often referenced. Most notably, it refers to the time when God flooded the Earth for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12) and when Moses waited atop Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights before receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:18).
However, the 40 days of the Lenten season are specifically representative of the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus Christ spent in the desert in Matthew 4:2, fasting and being tempted by the Devil. So, in spiritual preparation for Easter Sunday (which marks the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead), Christians observe 40 days of fasting and religious connection.
In Western Christianity, most sects observe Ash Wednesday (March 5, 2025) as the beginning of Lent. Those who adhere to Eastern Christianity begin Lent (or the Great Lent, as they call it) on Clean Monday (March 3, 2025) and often do not observe Ash Wednesday.
Whether starting on Monday or Wednesday, some denominations, especially Catholics, have rules against eating meat, eggs, or dairy products on the first day of Lent and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter). Catholics generally abstain from meat all Fridays of Lent. While people from other denominations may also fast from certain foods on certain days, Catholics are known for having stricter rules.
That being said, Lent (at least in this day and age) doesn’t have many other clear-cut rules except for the ones listed above. Considered to be a period meant for personal sacrifice and reflection to bring oneself closer to God and his son Jesus, Lent can mean a lot of things for a lot of people, and everyone goes about it in different ways.
Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr, Moravian University Provost and vice president of academic affairs, described Lent as, “a time of sacrifice and penance, leading up to the joy of Easter. For Catholic Christians, the practice of giving something up for Lent is part of the practice of sacrifice, and parallels Christ’s sacrifice in the desert, where for 40 days he went with no companionship, very little food or water, and had to resist the temptations of Satan.”
Through giving something up, Christians seek to move away from serving themselves and move closer to serving the Lord, strengthening their relationship with God in the process.
“An alternative approach is to work to improve oneself, by adopting some kind of practice during Lent that improves us as human beings, provides spiritual healing, and improves our relationship with God,” explained Traupman-Carr. “Such practices could be adopting a more prayerful life, reading the Bible every day, visiting the elderly or infirmed, or taking on volunteer work. The hope, then, is that these might become ongoing rituals in our lives so that we become better human beings in service to others and our spiritual life.”
Traupman-Carr’s reflection emphasizes that Lent is not just about Christians’ relationship with God, but also how they reflect his goodness into the world. Yes, maybe we abstain from meat or indulgences or even social media to follow Christ’s example of fasting and self-denial, but what are we doing during that in-between time? Are we loving our neighbors? Are we honoring God in our everyday lives? After all, if Jesus only focused on his own relationship with God and left the rest of us to fend for ourselves, we’d be in a pretty sore spot right now.
So, take both of these perspectives to heart. Think deeply about how you’re approaching Lent and why you participate in certain practices over others. Is it because that’s how someone told you to do it, or because it truly brings you closer to God?
If you are a student who is unsure, has questions, or is simply seeking the comfort of Christian peers during Lent (or any other time of the year), there are a few organizations on campus that will welcome you. Athletes of Faith meets at 8 p.m. on Mondays in Johnston Hall Classroom and is open to both Moravian athletes and coaches.
Catholics on Campus is open to any students curious about the Catholic faith. This semester, they meet every Thursday at 4 p.m. in Collier room 200 and focus their meetings on discussions surrounding the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Additionally, Inclusive Christian Worship is held every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. in the Saal with dinner preceding at 5 p.m.
