What you should know about lent

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Lent is the christian season for repentance that calls for sober reflections. Its a time when we do away with those things holding us back from serving God. Its a call for Christians to renew their faith in Christ by reemphasizing christian values.

Lent lasts for 40 days, and the number 40 has a biblical connection; the 40 days of lent remind us how Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, and it also represents the 40 years spent by the Israelites in the wilderness.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning, and the ash is made from palms from the palm Sunday of the previous year which has been burnt. The ash is worn on the head by Catholics and Christians as a sign of humility and repentance.

When the ash is distributed the minister says:

Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return
.

Wearing ash is a way to admit our sins and beg for God's forgiveness. During Lent Christians are obligated to do 3 things: fast, pray and give alms. Christians are also expected to give up something during Lent, which can be seen as a form of fasting.

So, lets follow Christ's example by fasting, praying and alms giving, we should not keep everything we have to ourselves, rather we should endeavor to share it with others. We can improve our spiritual life during lent by getting rid of those unnecessary burdens that hold us down. We should also remember that the difficult road of lent often leads to the joyous celebration of Easter.