Lent.

Lent is a season of forty days (not counting Sundays) that begins on Ash Wednesday and leads up to Easter weekend. The word “Lent” comes from an old English word meaning “lengthen,” a nod to the longer days of spring. But more than that, these forty days mirror the time Jesus spent in the wilderness—fasting, facing temptation, and preparing for His ministry.

Lent is an invitation. A season to slow down, make space, and refocus. It’s a time of prayer, fasting, and generosity—ancient practices that reorient our hearts toward Jesus. Many choose to give something up (fasting) to make room for something deeper: dependence on God, compassion for others, and a renewed sense of purpose.

But Lent isn’t just about what we give up—it’s about what we take on. It’s an opportunity to lean into self-reflection, seek healing, and step into generosity in tangible ways. It’s a season that makes us more aware of the brokenness in our lives and the world around us, while also holding tightly to the hope we have in Christ.

Through intentional practices—prayer, fasting, giving—we invite God’s mercy into our lives and our world, trusting that Easter is coming. That resurrection is real. That Jesus meets us in our suffering, and His love has the power to redeem, restore, and make all things new.

When I wake up on Resurrection Sunday morning, how will I be different? What am I preparing for? 

Is there something in my life—a habit, a grudge, a fear, a prejudice, an addiction, an emotional barrier, a form of excess—that keeps me from loving God with my heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving my neighbor as myself? How might I address that over the next 40 days? 

Lent is a time to listen to God, but sometimes God speaks through others, particularly the poor, oppressed, marginalized, and suffering. To whom should I be listening this season? How can I cultivate a listening posture toward others whose perspective and experiences might differ from my own? 

Is there a spiritual discipline—fasting, praying the hours, lectio divina, the examen, giving to the poor, volunteering in service to others—that I’ve always wanted to try? How might I alter my daily routine to include one of these disciplines? 

The cycle of death and resurrection is central to the Christian faith. In what ways is that cycle present in my life right now? Where might there be necessary change, suffering, death and decay, and how might new life emerge from those experiences?