Remember those with the least during Lent

Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in Western Christianity, is quickly approaching. For those who might not know, Lent is when observants commit to a form of fasting or choose to temporarily give up other forms of luxury.

In particular, Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of those who so choose as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.

Lent is observed by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and some Baptists. It is increasingly being observed by other denominations as well. According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation from Satan, before the beginning of his public ministry. Therefore, Lent is described as being forty days long, even though different denominations calculate the forty days differently.

Churches in Midtown are marking the event with special celebrations and events. All Saints Episcopal, in particular, is holding an event in the style of Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday. A parish-wide celebration for all will take place in and around Ellis Hall at the church in honor of the last night before Lent. Live music, food and drink—all Mardi Gras style, will be offered. Reservations are currently being taken for the two dinner seatings. Liturgy of the palms will take place in the courtyard at 6 p.m. 

The costs for this event are $6 for kids and $15 for adults. Volunteers are needed to help set up, check in, straighten up between the dinner seatings, bar tend and clean up. Contact Lauri Begley for more information at 404-267-4273

The Georgia Tech Catholic Center is also having a Mardi Gras dinner on Tuesday at 7 p.m. All are welcome and call 404-892-6759 or email info@gtcatholic.org for more information.

Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, said in her 2012 Lent message to the church that the Millennium Development Goals, which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, have been setup as the focus for Lenten study and discipline and prayer and fasting this year:

“I’m going to remind you that the Millennium Development Goals are about healing the worst of the world’s hunger. They’re about seeing that all children get access to primary education. They’re about empowering women. They’re about attending to issues of maternal health and child mortality. They’re about attending to issues of communicable disease like AIDS and malaria and tuberculosis. They’re about environmentally sustainable development, seeing that people have access to clean water and sanitation and that the conditions in slums are alleviated. And finally, they are about aid, foreign aid. They’re about trade relationships, and they’re about building partnerships for sustainable development in this world.

“As you pray through the forty days of Lent, I encourage you to attend to the needs of those with the least around the world. I would invite you to study, both about how human beings live in other parts of the world and our own responsibility as Christians.”

How will you be observing Lent? Tell us in the comment box below.