Job 42:1-6 ¹ Then Job answered the LORD: ² "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ³ 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ⁴ 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.' ⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; ⁶ therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Yesterday at church I was asked about where the term “Shrove Tuesday” comes from. Not having a real good answer, other than it is the same day as Mardi Gras and does stem from the French, I decided to look up the term. We all know that Shrove Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is the day before we mark our foreheads with ashes, and the day before Lent officially begins. It is also the day before we confess our sins and remain in a confessional mode until absolution at Easter.

Shrove Tuesday comes from the tradition of having one final blowout of a meal before Lent begins. “The reason that pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent is that the 40 days of Lent form a period of liturgical fasting, during which only the plainest foodstuffs may be eaten. Therefore, rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar are disposed of immediately prior to the commencement of the fast. Pancakes and doughnuts were therefore an efficient way of using up these perishable goods, besides providing a minor celebratory feast prior to the fast itself. The word shrove is a past tense of the English verb "shrive," which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by confessing and doing penance. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the shriving (confession) that Anglo-Saxon Christians were expected to receive immediately before Lent.” (From Wikipedia.org)

I mentioned in the February newsletter that most people give up something for Lent, and now we know why. However, as I also mentioned in the newsletter, this is also an appropriate time to add something. While talking with Carrie Saturday evening, I decided that Springs of Grace needs to have a Bible Study (at least 1!). Lent is the perfect time to add this, since we are in a mode of having more to offer to ourselves and to the community. There will be more information about this (hopefully these) Bible Study (-ies) next week.

In the mean time, go ahead and start thinking about your Lenten season, and how you will go through these 40 days. Remember that Sundays don’t count, since each one is a mini-Easter in which we already celebrate the risen Christ!

In our prayers this week: Jane, Linwood, Gail, Ann, Buddy, Alma, Madison, Sanford, Lori

God's Peace,

 Pastor Judson