Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season in the Church Year known as Lent. The word Lent comes from an Old English word for Spring (“lengten”, the time of the year when the days grow longer). For the last 1700 years, the Church has set aside the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter as a time of special preparation. It is a time of repentance and renewal.

During Lent, our rejoicing is muted as we remember our Lord’s suffering and death. But it is with a purpose: we know that the Lord who died took up his life again on Easter Sunday morning. So our 40 days of Lent are ones lived in the certain hope of the resurrection.

The color of the season is purple. Purple is the ancient color of royalty. We have this kind of king: he wore a crown of thorns, and carried a cross for us. Thanks be to God!

For the precise counters in the congregation, the Church speaks of 40 days of Lent because they did not count the Sundays, which retained their significancs as “little Easters.”