What is the primary purpose of Lent?
I'm doing Lent (always have, ever since I became a Christian) but today I was talking to my family about it. I said in a rather joking way "the point of Lent is to suffer" (we were talking about having dessert, which I usually love, but have given up for Lent). But then I got to thinking a bit further - I don't *really* think the whole purpose of Lent is to suffer. But I don't really know what the purpose of Lent actually is...
(Preparation for Easter, obviously, and we are reading through John's Gospel this year in the lead-up to Easter. But I've got a feeling there is a much deeper significance and spirituality around the Lent season that I don't know much about. Weird - I've been doing it for years without really thinking about it all that much.)
So, for those of you observing Lent, what is it all about for you, and what do you expect to get out of it or learn from it?
(Since I haven't been around much lately after having my 2nd baby, I'll just remind everyone that I'm Anglican, married into a Greek Orthodox family, with a non-Christian husband. My sister is married to a Lutheran, father agnostic (Catholic background), mother Vietnamese Buddhist. As you can imagine, theological discussions around here can get pretty interesting!)
(Preparation for Easter, obviously, and we are reading through John's Gospel this year in the lead-up to Easter. But I've got a feeling there is a much deeper significance and spirituality around the Lent season that I don't know much about. Weird - I've been doing it for years without really thinking about it all that much.)
So, for those of you observing Lent, what is it all about for you, and what do you expect to get out of it or learn from it?
(Since I haven't been around much lately after having my 2nd baby, I'll just remind everyone that I'm Anglican, married into a Greek Orthodox family, with a non-Christian husband. My sister is married to a Lutheran, father agnostic (Catholic background), mother Vietnamese Buddhist. As you can imagine, theological discussions around here can get pretty interesting!)