Opinion : Pastor's Blog - Mardi Gras or Easter – Choose

Mardi Gras or Easter – Choose

Many of you probably know that the Tuesday just prior to Ash Wednesday is called ‘Fat Tuesday’ or in French, ‘Mardi Gras’. Isn’t Mardi Gras a big party in New Orleans? Yes, but the celebration culminating on Fat Tuesday is actually world-wide. There are Mardi Gras celebrations in Brazil, France, Canada, Mexico, …, as well as in several cities in the United States, like New Orleans or Pensacola or Mobile. These celebrations can be a 3 day party or celebrations that continue for months from Epiphany to Fat Tuesday. The celebration varies from place to place.

So, what is the significance of ‘Ash Wednesday’ or ‘Fat Tuesday’? The significance comes from a liturgical (religious) season leading up to Easter called ‘Lent’.

Lent is a season for Christians to prepare their hearts through penance, prayer, repentance and fasting, just prior to Good Friday (when Jesus died) and Easter (when Jesus rose from the dead). For most people, Lent runs from Ash Wednesday for 40 days (excluding Sundays) until Maundy Thursday (day before Good Friday). Lent is roughly a 6 week period when people give up something or do something special to remind themselves of what Christ did for them on Good Friday and Easter.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent. You may have attended a religious service where the ashes (usually from last year’s palm branches) were placed on your forehead as a reminder of this season of penance called Lent. The ashes are a sign of mourning and repentance to God.

Some see Fat Tuesday as that last chance for people to ‘do what they want’, or ‘eat what they desire’ before entering into the Lenten season of self-denial and repentance. You may have friends who do not eat fish on Friday during Lent, or may observe a special fast or study during Lent. Lent is often thought of as a time of self-denial. Thus, Mardi Gras might be thought of as a self-indulgent party culminating on Fat Tuesday.

OK, so where does all of this get us? The basis for all of these events and activities is Easter. For our information, a man, named Jesus (God’s Son), was born over 2000 years ago, lived about 30 years, spent about 3 years teaching a new understanding of humanity’s relationship with Almighty God, was killed by hanging on a cross, and then He miraculously arose from the dead on Easter Sunday to live forever. If you would like a more detailed scenario, please talk to your pastor or email or call me. The story is more beautiful, but I lack the space to fully tell it here. Christians are now in a season of preparation (Lent) to celebrate that fantastic day (Easter).

I was wondering. Are any of us in our own ‘Mardi Gras’season? I once met a man who was drinking a beer in a restaurant. He knew I was a pastor and when I came up to his table, he moved the glass of beer under the table. [He must have felt drinking a beer was sinful, whether I did or not.] He explained to me that he knew he needed to repent SOMEDAY, but he had too much living to do before then. [Someway, he had the idea that being a Christian was boring or stifling.] Before he got old and died, he planned to repent. I pray he has taken that opportunity and found salvation through Jesus, because I don’t know what tomorrow might bring for him (or me or you). There was a person who was living in their Mardi Gras moment. He was living for himself. Sad thing is that he hadn’t realized just how beautiful and fun it is with Jesus in our hearts.

Are you also living for yourself? Oh, you will get back to church, or find out about this Jesus, but not now - later. I have never been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but I do know what it is to be loved by Jesus. And it is fantastic. I encourage you to focus on this Easter and our risen Lord. There may be a season of repentance and self-denial, but the rewards are fantastic (and by the way, eternal). Easter is coming up the first part of April, so may I suggest that this week is a great week to move from your Mardi Gras to your Lenten preparation for our celebration on Easter.