Lent, which began yesterday with Ash Wednesday, is a period of time in the Christian faith where we prepare for the the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. There are tenants Jesus made for this period of time. Fasting means eating sparse meals throughout the day to bring oneself closer to God and the Holy Spirit. Additionally, Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent is a day of abstinence, which means abstaining from eating meat throughout the day. Another traditional but non-required aspect of the Lenten journey nowadays is a sacrifice or Lenten promise. This aspect is made to reflect the eventual sacrifice of Jesus and is something a person willingly gives up during Lent as a way to make himself or herself a better person.
In honor of this aspect of Lent, I interviewed some individuals about what they were giving up for Lent this year or what they were determined to do. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I think it’d be best if I gave up sweets,” said my father, which would help him lose weight and become more fit.
English and journalism teacher Mr. Hubert said that instead of giving something up, he and his wife are adding to their daily routine by reading a book and a prayer to his newborn son every day during Lent. Prep senior Nick Flamini said he wasn’t sure but would decide something in the near future.
To these people and many others Lent is an incredibly important time of the year, as it is the preparation for Easter.