Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday: A Gateway to the Season of Lent

“Glory, glory, hallelujah!” students immediately joined in the singing and joy led by the PROS as they entered this year’s Mardi Gras Celebration. The whole school sang, danced, and learned about the significance of Mardi Gras. During the season of Mardi Gras, people eat rich food and celebrate as they get ready to enter the season of Lent, a quieter, more reflective time. On Fat Tuesday, many church communities get together to eat pancakes and fellowship. Students in grades 6-8 made pancakes in science class! In Louisiana, there are parades and people dress up in purple, gold, and green. The colors symbolize the following: Purple – justice, Green – faith, Gold – power.  

The PROS led the Mustard Seed School celebration – complete with parade and throwing beads. During the celebration, we put the word “alleluia” away. As a school, we give up the word alleluia for the season of Lent. After Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday leads us into this season.

On Wednesday, February 22, students in grades K-8, came to the Community Room to participate in an Ash Wednesday prayer walk with five different stations. 

At each station, students read a passage of scripture, a reflection, wondering questions and a prayer. They heard water as they read about the baptism of Jesus, they smelled anointing oil as they reflected on Jesus having his feet washed with oil, they saw culturally diverse icons illuminated by candles as they heard about Jesus being the Light of the World and they put their fingers in ashes from last year’s Palm Celebration to create an ash cross on their Lent Reflection Journal.

What is the significance of Ash Wednesday? This observance marks the beginning of Lent.

Lent is a season of forty days (signifying the forty days that Jesus was in the wilderness) beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter. The word “Lent” comes from an Old English word that means “springtime.” This is a season that invites us to a holy dark and quiet time where we can weed away those things that separate us from God. It is a time when we can ask God to plant good seeds in the soil of our soul. Lent is a springtime for our spiritual lives. As we are nourished through the story of Jesus’ life, we can lean into God’s nurture and care.