Lent as the Tithe of the Year

The pious simplicity of some people would let a question like this pass. But because you are more careful in examining things that another would think not worth asking about, and want to know the whole truth of this observance of ours and its hidden reason, you will have a very clear reason for this too, so that you may be still more plainly convinced that our predecessors taught nothing unreasonable. By the law of Moses this command was laid down for all the people in general: “You shall offer to the Lord your God your tithes and firstfruits.” And so, since we are commanded to offer tithes of our goods and of all our produce, it is much more necessary for us to offer tithes of our life, of our ordinary occupations and our actions. And this is certainly provided for, clearly, in the reckoning of Lent. For the tenth of all the days contained in the circling year is thirty-six and a half days. In seven weeks, if Sundays and Saturdays are subtracted, thirty-five days remain for fasting. But when Easter Eve is added, when the Saturday’s fast is prolonged until cockcrow at the dawn of Easter Day, not only is the number of thirty-six days made up; as for the tithe of the five days that seemed to be left over, if the bit of the night that was added is taken into account, nothing will be lacking to the whole sum. [a]