{"id":12632,"date":"2025-03-04T01:25:10","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T08:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2c5687a4-9abe-11e8-99ad-ca52c1e5b2af"},"modified":"2025-03-17T09:55:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T15:55:52","slug":"your-turn-why-i-adore-lent","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/your-turn-why-i-adore-lent\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Turn: Why I Adore Lent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of my friends think I\u2019m crazy, but I adore Lent. From the ashes on Ash Wednesday to the candles on Holy Saturday, the season captures me in a way nothing else does. I love the idea of being joined with the whole church in prayer and repentance, across the world and time. I love the time of rest and preparation for the triumph of our Messiah. I love the communal fasting with my church, and the deep sense of community it brings: We may not all be fasting from the same things, but we are still all fasting together.<\/p>\n

I love the intentionality that comes with Lent, because I have to pay closer attention to my diet, or my time, or my money, and consider how they all can bring glory to God. I even love the change in my church\u2019s worship services, because the solemnity (we don\u2019t even say Alleluia) makes the joy of Easter Sunday that much more poignant. In the preparation, anticipation and longing for Easter, I have come to understand how \u201call creation groans\u201d waiting for our redemption. And every year I find I need this time of repentance and refocus more and more.<\/p>\n

References to Lent can be found as early as the end of the second century. St. Irenaus writes of a period of fasting before Easter that originated \u201cin the time of our forefathers\u201d \u2014 \u201cforefathers\u201d being a reference to the apostles. The council of Nicea in 325 refers to \u201cthe 40 days of Lent.\u201d The number 40 has long specified preparation: Moses fasted<\/a> 40 days and 40 nights before he received the Law on Mount Sinai, and Israel spent 40 years in the desert before entering Canaan. Jesus fasted<\/a> 40 days before beginning His public ministry, and the earliest Christians believed Jesus was dead in His grave for 40 hours. In participating in this fast, we join with believers from all millennia and in a mysterious way, with Christ himself.<\/p>\n

The three-fold disciplines for Lent are fasting<\/a>, prayer<\/a> and almsgiving<\/a>. Traditionally, Lenten fasting involves abstaining from certain foods, usually meat; however, it\u2019s best to spend some time in prayer to see what God would have you give up. (Disclaimer: Talk to a health care professional before starting a fast, especially if you have concerns.) Because Lent is a time of spiritual growth and preparation, many people usually add a book to read as well. You can add to or subtract from your practices as you and God see fit; these are a few examples I\u2019ve used or seen friends and parishioners use.<\/p>\n

Fasting:<\/h4>\n