Dear friends,

We’re coming up to my favorite liturgical season: Lent. Reading that, you probably fall into one of two camps: What’s Lent? or Lent’s Your Favorite? Really

What’s Lent? Even if you haven’t observed Lent in the past, you probably have heard stories of people who have. The stories I heard growing up were from Catholic friends, most commonly “I’m giving up chocolate for Lent.” When I asked my friends why they gave chocolate up for Lent, they invariably answered, “I’m suffering because Jesus suffered.” Back then, I knew very little about church traditions. What I’ve since learned is that Lent is the season that leads up to Easter, from Ash Wednesday through Maundy Thursday. Traditionally, this was a time of preparation for people wishing to be baptized at Easter and is associated with penitence and fasting. There are many spiritual practices associated with Lent: giving something up, taking something on, being intentional in spiritual reading, donating money to charity, and changing eating habits on some or all days of Lent.

If you made it this far, you may now be leaning to the other camp.

Lent’s Your Favorite? Really? Penitence and fasting don’t sound like much fun, so why is Lent my favorite liturgical season? Life is full of distractions, even distracting me from God. Lent lets me refocus my attention on God: Where am I falling short? What have I made more important than God? Where is God calling me to new life? Over the years, my lenten practices varied, such as coming to Wednesday soup suppers at church, being more intentional about daily prayer. Every year, I stumble over the same obstacles, like taking on the most challenging disciplines, so I can prove to God I’m serious, then feeling bad when I give up halfway. (Of all the things to give up for Lent, the hardest is ego-centered thoughts.) Lent is an intentional invitation to all of us to look at our relationships with God at the same time. Our faith community supports us, beginning with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday (March 5).

Whether you are brand new to Lent or are looking for a refresh, join the Spiritual Formation Committee on Sunday, February 23, for What do you mean I don’t have to give up chocolate? An introduction to Lent. (It’s helpful to RSVP, but not required.) Grab a snack at coffee hour and meet in the Walbridge room. Bring your curiosity and your questions.

Maybe you’ll find your way to the third camp: Oh, Lent is My Favorite Season Too!

Jolene Miller
Chair, Spiritual Formation Committee