Question:

Answer:

Neither day commemorates an event in the life of Jesus. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of preparation for Easter, the celebration of Christ's resurrection. Lent is generally intended to be a time for the Christian to reflect on what it means to participate in Christ's sufferings. Shrove Tuesday, more popularly known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), is the last day before Lent. As Lent evolved into a season of abstinence, Shrove Tuesday became a day for indulgence before engaging in self-denial.

Whether it is proper for the Church to observe these days or others has been debated among Presbyterians for centuries. What is beyond debate is that the Lord's Day is our weekly celebration of the central event of Christ's work and of our lives: his resurrection from the dead, which, along with his death on the Cross, freed all believers from the tyranny of sin and death forever.

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Heb. 2:14-15)

A cause for celebration, indeed!