Former MP Balyeku challenges Christians to use Lent period to forgive and reconcile with one another 

THE Lenten period should help believers to reflect on their lives as Christians and conduct an audit to see how well they are doing as opposed to reducing it to merely abstaining from taking alcohol, taking meat or other pretentious gestures.

The former Jinja City West MP Moses Grace Balyeku says the period should instead give Christians and the people of God an opportunity to carry their crosses along with Jesus Christ who invites his disciples as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 16:24 to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow him.

“…lent is and should not be about rules and routines of dos and don’ts but about self examination and real practical gestures aimed at helping each other cope with life’s daily challenges…”,he noted.

Like classical Athenian (Greek) philosopher Socrates (469-399BC) thus says “…the unexamined life is not worth living…” Balyeku, who is still the NRM flag bearer for the constituency he represented for 10 years, says an unreflected life is unworthy living.

“…we are almost halfway through Lent … this is a good time to pause and check in on how we are progressing with our Lenten resolutions while conscious of the challenges that some of our people are facing…”, he said in his message of encouragement to the Christian fraternity during the lent period.

He has also used the occasion to urge all residents of Jinja City West and Jinja as a whole to be hardworking since even the Bible encourages work which has been ordained by God in n the fight against poverty

Balyeku, who is also a strong Christian believer, wished all believers good luck and health during the period.

What you need to know:

What does Lent Mean?

The word “lent” comes from the old English word, “lencten”, which means ‘spring. Middle English is derived from the words, Lenten, lente, lent: related to the Dutch, lente, the German, lenz, also rendered “spring”.

In Old German lenzin,lengizin,and lenzo are related words, which probably comes from the same root as “long” and referring to the ‘lengthening days’, as the earth moves from the winter solstice toward the spring equinox.

When the lent period ends depends how you count the 40 days as eastern and western churches observe lent slightly differently. In western churches Sundays are excluded meaning lent ends on Holy Saturday. Eastern churches include Lent Sundays meaning it ends on Palm Sunday, the Friday before Easter.

The last week of lent is called Holy Week.

Why is lent 40 days?

40 days is a significant number in the Bible.

In Genesis, the first Book of the Bible, the flood which destroyed the earth was brought about by 40 days and nights of

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land. Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Jesus spent 40 days praying and fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry.

What to do for Lent

Some Christians from more orthodox or traditional denominations fast during lent. They begin with the wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday, which this year coincided with Valentine’s day 14 February, 2024 and give up meat, fish, eggs, milk, beer and others for the 40 day period.

For many Christians, lent is a time where they create space to pray, meditate, read the Bible to reflect on God’s love, among others.