Tapestry March 2020

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A Worship Magazine

Easley Presbyterian Church

Easley, SC

March 2020

Vol. 6 Issue 2

A common thread that joins us together with Christ and with each other.

The Season of Lent Lent is a time of anticipating the passion of Jesus Christ. It consists of forty days before Easter (beginning on Ash Wednesday, but not counting Sundays — which are celebrations of the resurrection and considered a “little” Easter.) The number forty symbolizes a time of testing — Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, the Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land, and Moses spent forty days on the mountain before receiving the Ten Commandments. Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, preparation, and confession. All of the preparation of Lent is climaxed in Holy week. Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent. The ancient church that wrote, collected, canonized, and propagated the New Testament also observed Lent, believing it to be a commandment from the apostles. Because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, we skip over Sundays when we calculate the length of Lent. Therefore, in the Western Church, Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter.

“Christ in the Wilderness” Ivan Kramskoy, 1872

The Colors of Lent: Purple, Red, and Black The color purple is a royal color, representing the Kingship of Christ. It is also a color of repentance and a symbol of the Passion of Christ. Red represents the atoning blood of Christ. It is sometimes used during Holy Week, or on Maundy Thursday.

Black represents death and mourning. It is used for Good Friday. If black is not used, then the sanctuary should be bare and no color used. Symbols and Themes of Lent The major symbol of Lent is the cross. Images of the wilderness or Christian discipline are also appropriate.


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