This coming Sunday, February 16, is known as Septuagesima, and is both the name of the third Sunday before Lent as well as the season itself that runs from this day up until Ash Wednesday, March 5. The other Sundays in the Season of Septuagesima are Sexagesima Sunday, February 23 and Quinquagesima Sunday, March 2. It is a season intented for feasting and fasting, a period of time that prompts us to enjoy the delights of life before our days of fasting start and also signals us to ready our hearts and minds as we begin to enter into Lent. It is a season of transition, inasmuch as it includes the period between two important seasons, Christmas and Lent. The three Sundays prior to Lent are like stairs that gradually bring you closer to fully living in the Lenten season.
Historically the weeks leading up to Lent were also known as Carnival Season in many cultures and countries around the world. The word carnival comes from the Latin carnelevarium meaning, "the removal of meat." During these weeks of celebration, one would need to consume all remaining meat and animal products such as eggs, cream and butter, beore the six-week Lenten fast. The reason for this was first, the laws regarding fasting and abstinence were quite different and far more strict from what is practiced today. You were expected to abstain from every thing on the list, and then some. Second, before home refrigeration these perishable items would not have lasted through the Lenten season when they were not being eaten and therefore would have spoiled. The best thing to do was to use them to make delicious food.
Carnival celebrations such as bells, masquerades, parades and parties happened throughout Pre-Lent in the spirit of feasting. But many of the leaders in the church did not approve of what the carnival season became, and saw it as an excuse to over indulge beyond any sense of virtue. It is important to realize that while these weeks are meant for feasting, they are also an intentional time of preparation for fasting and prayer.
Septuagasima means seventieth, sexagesima means sixtieth and quinquagesima means fiftieth the first Sunday of Lent is called quadragesims, fortieth. As the Lenten season is 40 days meant to imitate Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the desert, the tree Sundays prior were thus counted as the 50th, 60th and 70th.
While our family has observed Lent for many years now, I find that this year I am looking forward to this season like never before. We've had several rounds of snow, sleet and freezing rain, and the flu and pneumonia have both made the rounds. In some ways I feel like I've done little more than read and cross stitch for six weeks now, not that I'm necessarily complaining, but a few days of temps in the high 50's last week and finally being able to get out and back to church has me longing for warmer days and returning to routine. And so in spite of the fact that we are currently in the midst of another winter storm, I spent some time yesterday thinking through the upcoming season and made a list of things I want to do and what I need to prepare for Lent and Easter and I thought I would share it here with you. If you observe this holy season perhaps you'll find some inspiration, and if this is new to you, I'll be sharing more in upcoming posts, so be sure to visit! And with that, here's what I have so far.
- First and foremost is to arrive what I will be giving up this year. In years past I've given up spending, soda, sugar, and the like but this year I'm not sure. With that, I'm going to make this a more focused matter of prayer in the coming week.
This is something we've done for several years now. I have all of the supplies, I just need to bring down the Lent / Easter decorations and get it ready to set up.
- Make our soil and ashes bowl
This is just a small bowl filled with a bit of potting soil mixed with the ashes from some leftover Christmas greenery. I think palms from Palm Sunday are what are traditionally used for the ashes in lenten services, but since I never have palms, I find the symbolism of greenery leftover from the season in which we celebrate Christ's birth appropriate. During Lent, Christians "remember we are dust" because on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, we receive ashes on our foreheads while hearing the phrase "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19), serving as a reminder of our mortality, human weakness, and the need for repentance before God, signifying that we are created from the earth and will eventually return to it; essentially marking a time for reflection on our sinfulness and the promise of redemption through Christ's sacrifice.
- Set up our Journey With Christ Through the Desert
This is a tabletop display I put together using 40 small stones. I simply lay them out to resemble a winding, wondering path to mark the 40 days of Lent (I also mark the Sundays with a larger rock). Each day we take up the rock that represents that day and place it into a small bowl that is kept nearby. This year I'm considering using four small votive candles to represent each Sunday, to light the way.
In years past, I've made up displays similar to the ones you'll find at the link above, and I'd like to do it again this year. One of the challenges we have in our home is a lack of open surfaces. I usually have to rethink my decorating in almost every season to make accomodations. I was considering saving this display for Holy Week, but another tradition we observe is
burying the Alleluia, and in years past we've placed it in the tomb, which I find meaningful. This year I'm **hoping** to cross stitch an Alleluia banner, and what I have in mind would be too big to bury in the tomb, so I'll have to think on that. Maybe a smaller one for the tomb and a larger one for Easter Sunday? So much to consider.
The Stations of the Cross is another display we've set up during Lent, although it's been a number of years now since we've done it. In years past I set it up and we observed it every Friday, but I'm thinking this year I'd like to save it for Good Friday.
I saw this on Pinterest and really liked it, although you could do the same thing with the tomb and cross display, with the stone rolled away on Easter morning, which I think would be lovely.
I really like this idea, as well, but as I said, surface space can be challening and adding another countdown might prove difficult. However, I suppose if the pieces were small enough I could use them on the days of holy week in place of the stones in our Journey Through the Desert display. I'll have to think on that.
- Build
a Cross to display outside.
I've wanted a cross on our property for years now, and not just for Easter. I'm sure we have the lumber, I'll just have to see if my husband has the time to build it.
While this sounds like a LOT, and perhaps it is, for the most part once everything is prepared and set up it's done. There are actually other traditions and things we observe in this season that I haven't even mentioned, and while there hasn't been a year when we've done it ALL, making a plan and holding it loosely at least ensures that SOME of it happens.
Do you observe Lent, and if so, what are some of your traditions, I'd love to hear!
Until then . . .
❊
