This year Shrove Tuesday falls on 1st March, and Ash Wednesday on 2nd March.
The word “Shrove” is from the verb “to shrive” which means to go to confession and be forgiven; an excellent way to start Lent! It was the custom to use up eggs and milk before the fasting of Lent. Pancakes are a good way of using up those ingredients. I enjoy making pancakes. I particularly enjoy sending videos of pancake flipping (both successes and disasters!) to friends and family and then receiving similar videos back. We can be united in pancake flipping even if we are many miles apart. In some countries Shrove Tuesday is know as “Mardi Gras” or “Fat Tuesday” which refers to the same practice of using up rich foods before Lent.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. The ash refers to the “imposition of ashes” whereby an ash cross is thumbed onto the foreheads of people in church with the solemn words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.” It is a reminder of God’s words to Adam (Gen 3: 19) after the first sin has made Adam subject to death. We are reminded of our dependence on God and that faithfulness to Christ gives us a way through death to eternal life.
Lent is a period of fasting and abstinence in preparation for Easter (17th April this year). Traditionally we adopt some discipline for Lent to help us with repentance, with turning back to God. The discipline might involve giving something up, perhaps alcohol, social media, chocolate, or Sunday shopping. It might involve taking something up, perhaps a daily quiet time, regular exercise, family time or attendance at church. I plan to give up coffee this Lent, which I’ll find tough!
In church this year we are offering two Lenten activities, both on Wednesday evenings. As most years we will have a service of Compline (Night Prayer) in church at 7.30pm on Wednesdays. But after that, in the Rectory, we will follow the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith (LLF) course. This is mainly a listening exercise. It is about hearing the stories of Christians with different backgrounds and beliefs with regard to gender, identity and sexuality. The CofE have produced excellent video resources to support the course. These include bible study and particular people telling their own stories of living in love and faith. (See also page ?) I hope that many people will engage with the course.
But whatever we do for Lent I hope that it can be a time of turning back to God, remembering our need of his salvation, and learning to trust more in his great love and mercy for us. With best wishes for Lent, Fr Patrick
A Prayer about Lent, by Angela Ashwin
Lord, in these days of mercy, make us quiet and prayerful;
in these days of challenge, make us stronger in you;
in these days of emptiness, take procession of us;
in these days of waiting, open our hearts to the mystery of your cross.