Last week I had an experience that reminded me of how people can look at the same event and have entirely different
attitudes toward it. While in the Pastoral Care office at St. Joseph Hospital, I noticed a volunteer preparing signs announcing the coming Ash Wednesday services. I remarked that I've come to look forward to Ash Wednesday worship.

She looked at me as if I told her I was glad a loved one died. "You mean," she nearly sputtered, "you actually enjoy doing
penance?"

Then it dawned on me. The volunteer was Roman Catholic. While both the Roman Church and Lutheran Church, celebrate Ash Wednesday and Lent, they do so in decidedly different ways. In Roman Catholic practice the emphasis of Lent is on leading the faithful to proper repentance and appropriate acts of penance as a sign of true repentance. In Lutheran practice the emphasis is on the Son of God who came to give life to sinners, leading sinners to repentance and toward new life with God.

A commentary on Roman Catholic worship describes the Lenten season in this way:
Lent is the time of salvation par excellence not only for catechumens and penitents, but for the faithful as well. Lent is designed to aid them in preparing . . . By Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) they should be free from all sin and cleansed of guilt so as to appear in the full maturity and perfection of grace on Holy Saturday.

Such an emphasis on personally achieving "full maturity" and "perfection of grace" certainly sounds intimidating, and
certainly explains the woman's horror at my announcement of rather "enjoying Ash Wednesday and Lent." At that point, I thought I had better explain myself. This is what I told her.

First, I reminded her that repentance is a gift. Only those who are in Christ Jesus can truly understand the marvelous gift of repentance. The Lenten Gospel acclamation reminds us of the spiritual blessing that comes with repentance: Return to the Lord your God; for He is gracious and merciful-slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love Joel 2:13. The prophet Hosea reminds us, Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds Hosea 6:1. Understood properly, God gives us the privilege to repent.

Second, I reminded her of the clear message of the gospel. The celebration of Lent leads to the celebration of Easter. The
contrition and repentance of Lent is answered with the joyful announcement of the destruction of the power of sin, death
and Satan. All this is God's work, not ours. The gospel breathes the fresh breath of new life into the death-stench-filled spirits of humanity. But we need not wait for a season to hear God's announcement of forgiveness. Every time the death and resurrection of Jesus is recalled; every time Jesus' own words of forgiveness is spoken, is a time to breathe in the fresh breath of new life.

Third (and this is much more of a personal reason for looking forward to Ash Wednesday and Lent), when Ash Wednesday arrives, I know that spring is in the air. The dreadful season of winter will soon be past, and the invigorating and renewing seasons of spring and summer are that much closer.

By the way, the word Lent is not a theological word. It has more to do with the weather than with God. It is an Old English
word that is still used today in the word lengthen. In Old English Lent meant just that-lengthen. The lengthening days reminded Christians that the death of winter would soon pass and give way to the rebirth of spring.

It kind of reminds me of Paul's words:
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.

Your Brother in Christ,