The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

THE 40 Day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday known as lent officially began yesterday with many Christians giving up personal pleasures as a form of penitence.

Rev Angela Palacious told Tribune Religion that lent is a time of penitence to examine one’s life and lifestyle.

“The meaning of penitence is to be sorry. This is a time to look at who we are, and what we do. To be sorry that this is how we disappoint God’s plan for us,” she said.

Rev Palacious said the price that God paid to redeem his people was to sacrifice his only son Jesus Christ on the cross.

“Lent is all of that. It is a time to deny ourselves something that is important to us so that we enter in to the spirit of sacrifice, and learn to say no to ourselves. When strong temptations come, we should be better able to resist,” said Rev Palacious.

Michelle Bethel, a member of the Epiphany Anglican Church, said she decided to give up “shopping” and “fast foods.”

“I know this is something that might sound cliché, but I want to do it and I am going to do it. The money I would normally spend on clothes and material things, I can now save for myself and my child. I want to give up fast foods because I need to gear towards eating more healthy foods,” said Ms Bethel.

Jessica Turnquest said she gave up all social networks. “This is something I find myself on every day, the social network sites. When it isn’t Facebook, it’s Twitter or Instagram. And lent is about not just giving up any old thing, it is giving up something you think you cannot go a day without. It is about making a sacrifice and not so much punishing yourself, but learning to live without,” said Ms Turnquest.

While some may believe lent is only for Anglicans and Catholics, Rev Palacious said this is not so. She said lent is an exercise in self denial and it is open to everyone.

“It is open to everyone because every spiritual effort builds spiritual character. Learning to say no, when we should, becomes a way of life. Lent is about making yourself know who is in charge,” said Rev Palacious.

During lent, Rev Palacious said you not only give up something, you also take on other things. For example, you give up television, to read your bible more. You give up a meal, to donate the money saved to a hunger worthy programme, she explained.

“This is also a time for the whole church to remember and draw attention to who we are as a people of God, and where we need to allow the holy spirit to allow us to do better. We become more spiritual about spiritual things,” said Rev Palacious.