Lent Basics
Lent is the period of time before this central Christian holiday.
What is Easter?
The Christian meaning of the word "repent."
What is to turn around or change direction, a transformation or a reformation?
If you check a dictionary, it will say repent means "to feel regret or feel remorse." That is the way the English language understands the word. But the Greek word used in the Bible is metanoia, and indicates a state of transformation, change, or turning.
The first day of Lent is this special holiday.
What is Ash Wednesday?
On Ash Wednesday, a pastor puts this shape on your forehead.
What is the cross?
Many Presbyterian churches eat this the day before Ash Wednesday.
What are pancakes?
On Shrove Tuesday, some Christians engage in a time of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what changes of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with. They brainstorm what their Lenten practice will be and share them with others for accountability and solidarity. Pancakes are a final "sweet treat" before this period of hard work.
The number of days in Lent.
What is 40?
Name a spiritual practice or discipline practiced during Lent.
What is (any of the following):
Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving?
The name of the final week of Lent.
What is Holy Week?
Moses and Israel wandered in the wilderness for this amount of time.
What is 40 years?
In the days leading to Lent, floats, parades, and beads mark this celebration notably in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana.
What is Mardi Gras or "Fat Tuesday"?
A time to indulge in fatty foods and drink before Lenten fasting.
The church color of the season of Lent.
What is purple?
During Lent, we practice spiritual disciplines to restore the justice God intends. Prayer is considered a form of justice towards _______.
Who is God?
Name three special holidays in Holy Week (Easter is not included).
What are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday?
Jesus fasted in the wilderness for this amount of time.
What is 40 days?
What is giving up meat for Lent?
The big churchy word we don't say during Lent.
What is alleluia?
During Lent, we practice spiritual disciplines to restore the justice God intends. Fasting is considered a form of justice towards _______.
Who is self?
The event or series of events that Holy Week commemorates.
What are: Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his final teaching to the disciples: the Lord's Supper, his betrayal by Judas and arrest, his trial before Pontius Pilate, his passion (suffering), crucifixion, and resurrection?
What is 40 days and 40 nights?
Throughout the Caribbean and parts of Latin America, decadent parties, parades, and costumes are encouraged in this celebration as a final blow out before the strictness of Lent begins?
What is Carnival?
What are the burned palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday?
During Lent, we practice spiritual disciplines to restore the justice God intends. Almsgiving is considered a form of justice towards _______.
Who is neighbor?
What is:
Easter is it's own church season, lasting 50 days. Also, no Sundays are counted in the season of Lent because Sundays are always considered a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
The length of time Jesus spent in the tomb.
What is 40 hours?
The gospel of Mark tells the story that Jesus died at 3pm on Friday, and 40 hours later would be sunrise on Sunday morning, when the women discovered the tomb empty and Jesus raised from the dead.
Maslenitsa is an Eastern Orthodox celebration in Slavic countries (Russia, Ukraine, Baltics, etc.) which feasts heavily on this area of the food pyramid, before they give it up for "Great Lent" as it is called in the Orthodox church.
What is dairy?
This week is also known as Butter Lady, Butter Week, Crepe Week, or Cheesefare Week.