Shrove Tuesday!

What’s the deal with Pancake Tuesday?  

Shrove Tuesday?  

Fat Tuesday?  

What’s all this mean?

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of the season of Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter).  The word “shrove” means to absolve, to confess.  So, on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday we confess our sins in preparation for Lent.  We think about the things that keep us from living the lives God calls us to, and we let them go for a period of 40 days so that we may find our way back to the path of health and spiritual wellness.

Historically, Shrove Tuesday was the day when you’d clear your pantry of all the delicious and rich ingredients (eggs, butter, sugar, etc.) in preparation for fasting.  Many people still fast during Lent, refraining from meat, dairy, eggs, and other rich animal products. 

Lent is an opportunity to release something from your life that is holding you back from becoming the person you want to be.  It’s also a time where many people add something to their lives, like daily meditation or drinking more water.  More than anything else, Lent is a season where we are mindful of our relationship to the things in our lives that keep us from being connected with God.

So eat those pancakes today and remember the one who makes all things GOOD!