CHURCHES MARK ASH WEDNESDAY

When the Mardi Gras party ended Tuesday at midnight, Catholic students at the Newman Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus marked the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Mass.

Today, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Many religions observe Lent as a period of penance. It lasts 40 days, excluding Sundays. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches most commonly observe Lent.

Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics, but it is the day more than any other that students attend Mass at the Newman Center, said the Rev. J. Friedel, director of the Catholic campus ministry.

"For all Catholics, Lent is a time for us to get back to the basics and renew ourselves and the promises we made as members of the church and the body of Christ," he said.

Lent is a time of self-examination and reflection on sin. Many Christians will give up something like a favorite food, drink or activity as a reminder of Jesus Christ's 40 days of suffering in the wilderness.

"Lots of students give up chocolate, and if they're really trying to make a sacrifice they will give up alcohol for Lent," Friedel said. "Some give up movies or a favorite TV show. None of those in and of themselves are really important. The trick is when you realize you are giving it up as a spiritual discipline."

Developing a spiritual discipline is beneficial to Christians, said the Rev. Barry Pfanstiel, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. "In a certain sense, voluntary discipline can be very helpful for spiritual awareness. But the discipline has to be voluntary, not legalistic."

In the past, the traditions of Lent were very legalistic. Dietary laws limited the use of fats, meat or dairy products during Lent. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday as it is known in English, was the day that all the cooking fat was used up in preparation for Lent.

The tradition of Mardi Gras began as a way for people to celebrate, knowing that they would be going without later, Friedel said.

The three major practices of Lent include prayer, fasting, and giving or charity. Prayer is an opportunity for Christians to grow closer to God, fasting gives them a chance to find empty spaces and recognize that God should be filling those spaces, and practicing good deeds allows Christians to share with others who are not as blessed, Friedel explained.

But Lent isn't just a time of sacrifice, it is a time to get spiritually ready for Easter, he said. "If we weren't doing without, then the celebration would not be as full when we get to Easter. If every day were Easter, then what would be the climax?"

Some churches don't mark the significance of Ash Wednesday.

"We don't actually practice Lent per se," said the Rev. Don Stephens, pastor of Red Star Baptist Church. "We celebrate Easter every Sunday, because that's what the cross means. It's not just one season of the year."

Lent ends with Easter Sunday. Following Easter Sunday comes 50 days of celebration ending with Pentecost.