Shrove Tuesday

Like many other special days in the church calendar, there are different practices associated with Shrove Tuesday in the various cultures that celebrate it. Some of these practices and ideas even seem to be self-contradictory! In some cultures, it is a day of debauchery that has lost its Christian origins, and in others, it is a day of self-examination and confession prior to the beginning of Lent. Clearly those two things don’t fit together well!

There are several Christian practices that have occurred on Shrove Tuesday for hundreds of years. First, it is traditional to spend time in prayer, self-examination, and confession on this day. This practice is at least 1000 years old, and the name “Shrove” comes from the archaic verb for confession. In this practice, the spiritual disciplines of Lent flow from a time of focused confession. Second, it is a day of modest feasting before the beginning of Lent’s fast. Eating pancakes for dinner comes from the practice of ridding the cupboards of dairy and eggs before Ash Wednesday, so that they won’t tempt us or go bad during the weeks of fasting. Third, it is the traditional day for burning palm branches from the last Palm Sunday, which is where the church gets the ashes for Ash Wednesday.

Given that we will not be holding a church-wide feast, I encourage you to hold your own mini-celebration. Either as a family or with someone else from the church, have a special dinner to remember God’s kindness. Throughout the Bible (read Psalm 104 to see an example of this), we hear that food and wine are two of the primary ways God shows us his goodness, and it is important to set aside particular meals to remember this. Eat a good meal, and thank the Lord for it as you do!

I also encourage you to spend time asking God what sins need to be confessed and changes made in your life this year. If you want to speak to me in that process, either for confession or advice, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

I am thankful for you all, and pray that the upcoming season of Lent will be a time of growth in the Lord.

Steven+