Learn new springtime words: Lent and render

Spring brings gusty winds, fluctuating temps, and best of all, new growth. Yellow is not one of my favorite colors, except for, I realized this March, when daffodils, forsythia, and crocuses pop out. They are a cheerful reminder that more sunshine truly is on its way.

Also, for me and other Christians, spring brings the season of Lent.

Lent describes 40 days of preparation for Easter Sunday. It starts on Ash Wednesday, six weeks before Easter, and technically ends on Holy Thursday , or for some, Easter Sunday. During Lent, Christians engage in prayer, fasting, and acts of service to prepare their hearts for the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. Purple, the color of preparation, adorns alters and crosses, and people seek renewal and reconciliation, increased spiritual growth. Many people give up something for Lent, like chocolate or alcohol, social media or TV, to honor the “fasting” practice of the season. Some make more time in their day to pray, or choose to participate in service work.

My Lenten practices change every year. This season, I’m fasting from sweets, fasting from meat on Fridays and using the extra grocery money as a donation to Heifer International, and writing one note for each day of Lent to someone who needs love and encouragement. I’m also trying to fast from worry and anger, probably the most challenging of my goals.

In true Word Nerd style, I’m also digging into some of the words important to the season. First, the name itself. Lent comes from Old English lencten, meaning spring. It might also be derived from Western Germanic “langitinaz” or “lengthening of days.” Makes sense.

Next, I’ve been pondering the words rend and render. At Ash Wednesday service, I heard this verse from the book of Joel, one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament:

Even now says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord your God. Joel 2:12-13

Here, Joel encourages people of faith to engage in sincere change, not just outward signs of piety that have no inner significance. Joel evokes violent imagery when telling his audience to “rend your hearts.” Rend comes from the Old English “to tear.” The prophet encourages his listeners to truly open their hearts to God. Thinking about rend led me to render, which comes from the Latin rendere, re- + dare, meaning to give as well as re- + -dere to put. Render has multiple meanings, including 1) to convert something into another substance or form by means of a process or treatment; 2) to give back, restore 3) to give something in acknowledgement of dependence and obligation.

What a great word to inspire transformation, spiritual growth, and acts of service.