Lent was originally established for new Christians, those who experienced a call. They were to spend forty days and forty nights preparing for their baptism. If at the end they still wanted to follow Jesus, then on Easter Eve they would be baptized as the sun was rising in the east, signaling the new day, the new era, inaugurated because of the Resurrection.
I am sure it had a powerful significance for them, to have prepared for their vocation as Christians the same way that Jesus prepared for his vocation as the Messiah: forty days of introspection and self-examination.
But later the Church used the forty days as a time of renewal for those who were already Christians, because at a certain point everyone in the empire became a Christian, everyone was baptized as infants. So the time of Lent was used as a time of renewal and recommitment to the Christian life, examining our lives in light of the one we are supposed to follow.
Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them [God's commandments] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Thoughts on This Verse....
Moses gives us three crucial messages about God's commandments. First, as parents, it is our responsibility to teach them to our children — not the responsibility of the government, or of the schools, nor even our churches.
Second, we are to teach them in the everyday course of life as we go about our routines as a family.
Third, we are to teach them continuously by both our words and our lives as we raise our children.
Now we can look at this as a job, a burden, a heavy responsibility, or we can see it as an opportunity to shape a life for the future and partner with God in raising a child to be a person that will make an eternal difference for the Kingdom of God. What a joy to be a part of such a partnership!
The Faith
To know what we believe, and why we believe it, ought to be prime importance to every Christian.
Our only authority for belief and faith is in the Bible, so whenever a Bible reference is given, be sure to look it up.
I am sure it had a powerful significance for them, to have prepared for their vocation as Christians the same way that Jesus prepared for his vocation as the Messiah: forty days of introspection and self-examination.
But later the Church used the forty days as a time of renewal for those who were already Christians, because at a certain point everyone in the empire became a Christian, everyone was baptized as infants. So the time of Lent was used as a time of renewal and recommitment to the Christian life, examining our lives in light of the one we are supposed to follow.
Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them [God's commandments] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Thoughts on This Verse....
Moses gives us three crucial messages about God's commandments. First, as parents, it is our responsibility to teach them to our children — not the responsibility of the government, or of the schools, nor even our churches.
Second, we are to teach them in the everyday course of life as we go about our routines as a family.
Third, we are to teach them continuously by both our words and our lives as we raise our children.
Now we can look at this as a job, a burden, a heavy responsibility, or we can see it as an opportunity to shape a life for the future and partner with God in raising a child to be a person that will make an eternal difference for the Kingdom of God. What a joy to be a part of such a partnership!
The Faith
To know what we believe, and why we believe it, ought to be prime importance to every Christian.
Our only authority for belief and faith is in the Bible, so whenever a Bible reference is given, be sure to look it up.
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