Message for Mardi Gras and the beginning of Lent

Today is March 4. It is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras is celebrated as the final day of Carnival season, which officially begins on Epiphany, Jan. 6, and lasts through today. It’s a time for celebration and is seen as a final burst of excitement before the solemn observances of the Lent.

Lent will begin tomorrow Ash Wednesday (March 5). The Lenten period lasts for 40 days and ends on Holy Thursday at sundown. (Like Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, the date of Holy Thursday also changes every year.)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian liturgical calendar. It occurs 46 days before Easter Sunday and is a day of repentance and reflection. On Ash Wednesday, some Christians receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross, symbolizing mortality and the call to repentance.

Lent is a 40-day period leading up to Easter (not including Sundays) that serves as a time of fasting, prayer, and penance. It commemorates the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert before beginning his public ministry. The significance of Lent lies in its emphasis on self-examination, spiritual renewal, and preparation for the celebration of Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.

For Christians, Lent is the time for spiritual preparation: Lent encourages believers to reflect on their lives, repent for their sins, and grow closer to God. It’s the time to foster a sense of community among Christians as they collectively observe certain practices of communal worship and support.

It may also be a time for personal growth: You may consider fasting, prayer, or other sacrificial acts during Lent.  You may reflect on your own life and see these practices can foster personal growth and discipline.

—Dr. Albert Celoza