For faithful, Lent is a season of reflection

It is said that one reason the food is so good at Mardi Gras celebrations is that traditionally all the butter and eggs at hand were cooked into marvelous dishes before the end of Fat Tuesday. These high cholesterol commodities were then exiled from observant Christian households during the 40 days of Lent.

Fat Tuesday precedes Ash Wednesday. The feasters can then turn in to fasters, or they may employ other forms of self-denial. Some will engage in prayer, reflection or other disciplines that, for a season, will take priority for them over eating, drinking, parties and parades.

Jim and Christy Wright, who run the Catholic Retreat Center in Dickinson, said Lent has a positive aspect.

“It’s about an invitation from God to return, to become more closely connected to him,” Christy said. “We can receive the gifts he has for us then.”

The Wrights said Lent isn’t primarily about self-denial.

Quoting from the James Cameron’s movie “Avatar,” Jim said: “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.”

Lent is about getting empty, about making space for God.

“God is head over heels in love with us,” Jim said. “And he wants nothing more than for us to choose to be intimate with him.”

Lent has changed, from the first seventh-century mention of Ash Wednesday to the 1996 repeal of the fasting requirement by the Catholic Church. It also has become a broader observance. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice now engages Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians and some Baptists, as well.

Danielle Alvarado, who attends Galveston’s Trinity Episcopal Church, is teaching her family to observe Lent.

“We talked about Lent after the Fat Tuesday parade with our 5 year old,” she said. “I told her Lent is a time to prepare for Easter, where we show Jesus how thankful we are that he gave up so much for us so we show how much we love him by giving something to him — like extra time to help or pray.”

For Gertrude Stager, congregant of Texas City’s Peace Lutheran Church it all began, but didn’t end, with the Easter Bunny.

“I’ve been a Lutheran for 84 years, but as a little child, Lent meant to me that the Easter Bunny would be coming soon,” she said. “Of course, now I know it is about the passion of Christ, who died so that we can go to heaven.”