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What makes the great lent extra special or different?

[Deleted User]
edited March 2014 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Its a simple question. Why is everyone so excited when the great lent comes? What makes it so different from all the other fastings we have for church?

I hear people at church say "I can't wait for the lent" or "I waited all year for this!"
Why?

Comments

  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    The fast is more important than others considering the feast (or even the amount feasts) that it lead to. Resurrection to us, orthodox, is the ultimate feast and we put more effort to get ready to it. Also, it's more strict compared to others. It has its own church rite that shows the strictness. And with all of that, it's the best time to grew more in spirit while living the fast truly.

    this is my two-cents worth of an opinion. 
  • Kal
    basically all fasts are equal
    The thing about lent is Christ himself started this fast. After he got baptized he went to the wilderness to fast 40 days and 40 nights and then he was tested by the devil (Read Matthew 4)
    It is also the time where we remember what Christ had to go through to set us free from the devils grip. Even if we are supposed to remember this everyday as a christian we take this time especially to do so. Also at the end of the season it is followed by the Great Friday and then Easter.
    The church hold this to a great value and has puts great emphasis to lent. as minatasgeel said it has it's won church rituals carried through out the season.

  • ophadeceophadece
    edited March 2014
    All fasts aren't equal. The church divided fasts into first and second degrees to teach us some lessons.. there are certain criteria and Lent isn't matched by any, except to some extent Jonah's fast

    Oujai
  • IoannesIoannes
    Fasting for many is about their relationship with food, not God, and therefore it is a devils fast. We need to remember that fasting is about the relationship between us and God. We do not only abstain from pleasureful foods, but pleasureful things, these constructs we make ourselves reliant upon. So, if we are abstaining from all the right foods, but do not increase our prayer and meditation but watch our favorite television shows, play our favorite games, etc. then are we really fasting? It is about removing all those things which distract us from God, the unnecessary things. 

    Another issue is becoming too legalistic about it. For instance I have seen people who had their fasting food accidentally touch non-fasting food and as a result threw it all away. That is not fasting, that is being legalistic and wasteful. And to be honest we can get wonderful tasting fasting food, often times tasting almost identical to the non-fasting, so are you really fasting? 

    Fasting is in spirit, its a sort of beating the flesh into submission to the soul. By gaining control of your stomach, you gain control of your mind, your actions, your tongue, etc. Fasting is a wonderful thing when done properly, if you are not in the right frame of mind then fasting becomes pointless.
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