Lent: Symbolism & Substance

By Peter Espeut

What in English we call 'Lent' is called Cuaresma in Spanish, from the Latin Quadragesima, referring to its length of 40 days. But why Lent? And why 40 days?

The number 40 recurs in the Bible at important times: Noah and company were in the Ark for 40 days. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days receiving the Ten Commandments. The Hebrews wandered in the desert for 40 years. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness doing battle with Satan, and appeared to many people over 40 days before ascending to Heaven.

Biblical numbers are not without meaning, and the number 40 is particularly significant because a woman carries her developing baby in her womb for 40 weeks, generally. All these forties are a necessary and not-so-comfortable prelude to something new.

For Noah, it was rebirth of a sinful world, cleansed by raging flood waters. Moses' 40 days was a prelude to the birth of the people of the covenant. For the Hebrews, wandering for 40 years in the desert was the start of a new, settled existence in the Promised Land after crossing the River Jordan.

Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness after being baptised in the River Jordan was a prelude to the birth of a new Israel, people of the New Covenant liberated from sin, and governed by the law of the Spirit rather than a law chiselled in stone. His 40 days before his ascension led to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the birth of the Church.

The 40 days of Lent lead to the Feast of the Resurrection ('Easter' in English, and Pascua in Spanish), when Christians celebrate the victory of life over death, virtue over evil, and light over darkness. [Old Covenant Christians (an oxymoron) have created controversies over profound theological concepts based on words used by the English, while ignoring older, more meaningful nomenclature]. Resurrection, that game-changing event of mystery and liberation, took place on a Sunday (as did Pentecost).

Three temptations

Easter is inexorably tied to the Jewish Passover, when the Hebrews were saved from the angel of death and liberated from slavery in Egypt by the lamb's blood put on the entrances of their homes. In John 19:14, the Lamb of God was crucified at Calvary at the same hour the Passover lambs were being sacrificed in the temple; and the blood of Jesus signs the New Covenant, where there is no more death or slavery to sin.

During his 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus does battle with the great tempter. Scripture readings for Ash Wednesday and the first Sunday in Lent focus on the three temptations of Jesus, which model the temptations all baptised persons face: pleasure, wealth and power.

Our natural bodily functions give us pleasure, but when our passions rule our bodies and our lives, we lose perspective and things get out of proportion. The Lenten discipline of fasting helps us to discipline our bodies and our passions and regain self-control. It moves the centre of gravity upwards - towards our brains.

Created things are for our use, but a preoccupation with things - acquiring more and retaining more - can distract us from becoming more. The Lenten discipline of almsgiving gets us used to giving away what we have and need, to detach ourselves from possessions which can give us false identity and false security, so that we can concentrate on what is more important.

All of us exercise power in some great or small way, and there is always the temptation to abuse it, to put down our enemies and to aggrandise ourselves. The Lenten discipline of prayer - placing oneself before the Almighty naked of pretence, admitting our powerlessness - can put things back into perspective, and help us enter into the virtue of humility.

We do battle with our evil tendencies throughout the year, but often we forget, or are lazy and fall into bad habits. Lent is that special season when we are reminded that we have the potential to be more perfect than we have become. During Lent, we get a chance to make a new beginning.

I wish you all a happy Cuaresma, a joyful Lent, as you do battle with your passions (and maybe your demons). I wish you victory. You (and Jamaica) will be better for it.

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and Roman Catholic deacon. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.