Shrove Tuesday

So did you eat any pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? Evidently, this was an Anglican and Lutheran tradition at some point- to eat pancakes on the day before Ash Wednesday to help use up rich foods like eggs and milk and sugar. Much like the better known name, Fat Tuesday, the idea is to prepare for the season of Lent where one would fast and do without meat, dairy products and rich foods.

We don't think about denial or fasting much anymore. Many don't think much about Lent either come to think of it. It seems as time goes on our religious rituals have given way to more important things like TV and sports and whatever hobby fits us best. What would life be like for us if we returned to a faith with a greater focus on Lent?

It wouldn't be all bad- the Lenten season starts with Collup Monday- eating bacon on a fried egg (the last day to eat meat) and then moving on to eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. We would prepare to focus on the coming Lenten season.

We would then move to Ash Wednesday, a day focused on repentance. As a way of expressing our sorrow for our sins we would have our foreheads marked with ashes in the sign of the cross. The next 40 days we would pray and fast, practice self denial of something we enjoy all to express our desire to repent and indicate how sorry we are for our sins.

During this time we would engage in an additional Bible study or time of devotions, certainly attend every Lenten service and maybe even volunteer for a charity. Jesus' redeeming work on the cross would be our focus more than ever. Instead of a 'me' focus we would have a 'He' focus- considering also what God would have us do with our lives.

By the time Holy Week arrived we would be ready to consider the price paid for our sins. To think about the betrayal of Judas (and each of us) on Spy Wednesday. Maundy or Holy Thursday would be a time for us to remember the gift of the Lord's Supper and then Good Friday would bring us to our knees as we ponder how evil our own sins are and how far they separate us from God. We would be heartbroken as we consider the cross and Jesus' death.

All this would make way for the brightest Easter morning of our lives as we celebrate God's gifts of forgiveness and grace and hope and eternal life. What joy would we share with each other on Sunday morning! Nothing is stopping us from becoming an old fashioned Christian, from having pancakes on Tuesday and greater joy on Easter morning. May God grant each of us a Spirit-filled, faith-building Lenten season.

Blest Regards,
kp