Season of spiritual sacrifice

Young Chang

Stephanie Hanger is giving up watching television for the next 36

days. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel church attendee tunes in about two

hours a night. But as of Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the tube

has gone dark.

“This would allow me more time to read and meditate on the gospel of

the Lord,” Hanger said. “And [sacrifices] just kind of remind me of my

sins. It keeps me humble.”

For the next month or so, local Christians will try to conquer

personal missions. They started on Ash Wednesday, which marks the

beginning of the 40-day period of Lent, attending services and getting

their foreheads marked with ash in the shape of a cross. The ashes are

made from the palms blessed on Palm Sunday the previous year.

The significance of Lent is related to the Bible story of Jesus’

fasting in the desert for 40 days. In the Bible, Satan tempts Jesus in

order to find out if he is the son of God, but he resists.

Observing Lent involves praying, doing works of charity and fasting --

be it from food, television, cigarettes or alcohol.

“The whole point of it is to gain mastery of themselves to overcome

any sinful tendencies they have, to give up things they otherwise feel

they can’t control,” said Msgr. Daniel J. Murray, pastor at Mount Carmel

in Newport Beach.

The ashes serve as a symbol of penance, he added. The tradition has

spiritual significance.

In the Bible, a mark on the forehead symbolizes ownership. A cross

signifies ownership by Jesus Christ, who died on a cross.

Ashes also remind people of their mortality.

“We’ll go back to God’s creation,” Murray said. “Dust to dust, ashes

to ashes.”

Msgr. Bill McLaughlin, pastor at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic

Church in Newport Beach, said his mission for Lent is to remember that he

is a creation of God’s put on Earth to serve.

“That I’m just an instrument,” McLaughlin said. “Because I get worked

up and worried sometimes. I have Lent every day of my life as far as

that’s concerned.”

The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Costa Mesa held Ash

Wednesday services this week, something they have done for the past five

years. More and more Presbyterian churches are doing that, said Pastor

Tim McCalmont, as a time to focus on what Lent is about.

McCalmont said Lent is used as a time to reflect on one’s relationship

with God and to offer things in sacrifice while reflecting.

“That’s why there’s this tradition of giving things up,” he said. “To

represent our commitment to the Lord.”

He will give up his time. McCalmont plans to wake up 30 minutes

earlier every morning and spend time with God.

Purim to begin Thursday

Local Jewish temples observe their period of reflection during High

Holy Days, between Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana. During the spring, they

celebrate Purim, a holiday that commemorates the courage of Queen Esther

in defeating Haman, who tried to annihilate the Jews in Persia more than

23 centuries ago.

Purim will start Thursday evening and will continue through Friday.

“It’s a time of merrymaking and costumes and reading the Book of

Esther, thinking about survival and giving gratitude to God for his

deliverance of our people,” said Rabbi Mark S. Miller of Newport Beach’s

Temple Bat Yahm.

While Lent is a serious period of thinking and preparing for Easter,

Purim is festive.

“It’s a time for satires,” Miller said. “It’s not a serious time, it’s

a fun time.”

Temple Bat Yahm will hold a Purim carnival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

March 11 at the temple, 1011 Camelback St., Newport Beach.