Merry Christmas. Happy Easter. We Christians hit up our friends and some strangers on big feasts with pumped up versions of hi-how-are-you.
Nothing much for Lent, though. If you’re like me, same ol’, same ol’.
Have you ever wondered why we don’t extend Lenten greetings? Sure, “merry” and “happy” don’t seem to fit our annual practices of ashing ourselves and giving up sweets and warm-blooded animal dinners on Fridays. But could we say something while we’re wandering the desert tired, hungry, and without our internet connections?
What descriptive word or words could we attach to “Lent,” if we were ever to develop a greeting custom on which the secular culture could then declare war?
Holy Lent.
Maybe a bit too pious. Ditto for:
Blessed Lent.
Can Lent be “good,” like Friday?
A Good Lent to you!
The Lectionary makes mention of Lent as a “joyful” season, but I doubt any of us outside of Vox Clara are buying into that. The French have “Joyeux Noël,” but I can’t see them getting excited about
Joyeux Lënt!
Nope. Not at all.
Maybe we just pass each other on the street and give a thumbs-up, especially if that digit was dipped in ashes and we’re not washing ourselves whiter than snow.
Certainly, there is another strain that might suggest we give up on greeting other people at all. But assuming that a “season’s greetings” is needed for these 40 days, what would you suggest?
Catholic Sensibility 
“Have a Long Lent!” … or … “Repent, it’s Lent!” followed by a High Five … or … in Hip Hop celebratory style, “Give it up for Lent!” followed by a High Five.
Next year’s suggested motto at the student center here will be “Get your ash to Lent!”
Seasons greetings.
“May your ashes be dark. May your Lent be hard…”
May you have a blessed, peaceful, and spiritually beneficial Great Lent, leading you to the Bright Pascha of the Lord! (hieromonk Averky 2004)
Great!
Thank you for this. I am a non Christian but want to give my Christian friends some encouragement for Lent.
May love go be with you this lent.
would fruitful work? May you have a Fruitful Lent, Fruitful Lent to you!
May love and compassion be upon you all this Lent.
+JMJ+
God Bless You All!
I always say: “Have a Holy Lent!’
Have a Holy Lent!
Pax Christi!
Medjugorje
We also need a Lenten Valediction in addition to a Lenten Greeting.