It's that time of the year again, the day before the start of Lent. There are many names for today: Pancake Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Marti Gras.
The reason it's called these names is because back in the day during Lent, Christians didn't eat any meat or meat-related items, which included lard, which is animal fat. So, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, or the start of Lent, everyone used whatever fat they had left to make pancakes, cakes, etc. Many other items were traditionally restricted such as fat, flour, and eggs.
Marti Gras, which means Carnival season, (Carn = meat), is the celebration of eating the last of the meat supplies until the end of Lent, or Easter. Only in New Orleans is the ritual of breast showing prominent.
As many of you know, Lent is the 40 days before Christ was crucified on the cross. One must consider the fact that Lent is a human-made tradition. It was invented by the Church to get ready for the feast of all feasts. Fasting is a traditional discipline, and it's mentioned in the Bible, but it's not a decree or a doctrine to fast.
1 Samuel 31.13:
Then [the Philistines] took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
2 Samuel 1.12:
They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Matthew 4.2:
[Jesus] fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.
Matthew 6. 16-18:
[Jesus said,] "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you..."
I don't know what I want to give up for Lent. Last year, I gave up chocolate for about three days, then I forgot, then I remember and tried to stay off of it for the remainder of Lent. I failed miserably, mainly forgetting that it was Lent.
Every year I joke about giving up homework. I haven't decided what I am going to give up for Lent. I like cinnamon rolls from the Main Dining Room here at Capital University, so I might give those up.
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