For those

of us who use "liturgical seasons" to guide us

through the "church year," Lent is upon us

beginning this Wednesday, which is known as Ash

Wednesday.

Consisting

of 40 days before Easter, not counting the Sundays, Lent

has significant and interesting history and meaning.

Did you

know?

1. The

original period of Lent was 40 hours. It was spent in

fasting to commemorate the suffering of Christ. Then it

became 30 days, then 36 and, finally, in the reign of

Charlemagne, about 800 AD, 40 days, not including

Sundays.

2. The 40

days of Lent correspond to Christ's 40 days in the

wilderness, being tempted by the devil.

3. The date

of Lent is determined by the date of Easter. The Council

of Nicaea determined in 325 AD that Easter would be

observed on the first Sunday following the 14th day of

the Paschal moon.

4. The

earliest that Lent can begin is Feb. 5. That happened

last in 1818 and will not occur again during the 20th

century.

5. The

latest that Lent can start is March 10. It won't be that

late again until 2038. As you can see, this year's Lent

has a very late start.

6. Lent

comes from the old English word for spring,

"lenten." The wearing of sackcloth and ashes is

a custom going back to Old Testament times. Many

Christians remember this custom on Ash Wednesday by

marking foreheads with an ash cross, using the ashes of

the previous year's burned Palm Sunday palms.

7. The day

before Ash Wednesday, Shrove Tuesday, is celebrated in

many parts of the world with feasting. The French call it

Mardi Gras, the Germans call it Fasching. The feasting

comes from the custom of using up household fats prior to

the 40 days of Lenten fasting when no fat is used.

The one

fact you must know...

These facts

about Lent are interesting, but they are not really very

important. The one important fact in your life is this

- that Jesus Christ died that your sins can be

forgiven.

A fact so

simple... so familiar to many... so ignored by many... so

unknown to so many... yet so huge... so wonderful that it

is hard to grasp. That is why Christians observe Lent

- to set 40 days aside to think about Christ's death

and what it means in their lives.

Lent gives

you another chance to think about your sins and what it

means that Christ died for them. It gives you another

chance to review your life, another chance to grow in

faith and love.

Lent is a

time to be close to God - closer than you have ever

been. It is a time to attend worship more regularly, to

pray more often, to read the Bible more diligently and to

spread the Word of God more earnestly.

This Lenten season can be

the most important 40 days in your life - your life

here and now - and in determining where you will

spend your eternal life.

The Rev. Justin Kollmeyer

is senior pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on

Ga. Highway 314 in Fayetteville. Ash Wednesday services

are 6 p.m. for families with small children and 7:15 p.m.

for all. Ash crosses drawn on the forehead will be

available for each worshipper if desired. The public is

invited. For information phone 770-461-3403.