Introduction to Lent

The season of Lent is a solemn time in the liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for the next six weeks until we approach Easter Sunday. It’s a forty day period of time, counting just the Monday-Saturday’s, since it’s assumed our faith communities will be gathering for worship on Sunday’s and provide additional Lenten focus for the soul.  The traditional purpose of Lent is for the devout believer to take this time to be single-minded and heartfelt in commemorating the sacrificial suffering of Jesus on the cross. Therefore, the preparation of the soul for Holy Week includes disciplines such as prayer, repentance of sins, self-denial, and generosity.  Many Christians today celebrate Lent as a part of their denomination, local church, or small group.

Why forty days? There were many times when God’s people waited forty days or forty years for God’s will to be accomplished. In the Old Testament, Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18); Elijah spent forty days and nights walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8); Noah and his family were spared in the great flood that lasted forty days and nights (Genesis 7:4);  Jonah gave his prophecy of judgment to the city of Ninevah which was forty days in which to repent or be destroyed (Jonah 3:4); and the Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness forty years while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33).

Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, where he both fasted and was tempted by the devil  (Matthew 4:1–2, Mark 1:12–13, Luke 4:1–2). He overcame all three of Satan’s temptations by citing Scripture to the devil, at which point the devil left him, angels ministered to Jesus, and He began His ministry. Jesus further said that His disciples should fast “when the bridegroom shall be taken from them” (Matthew 9:15), long considered a reference to his Passion. It is also the traditional belief that Jesus lay in the tomb for forty hours before rising from the dead and leaving his grave clothes behind for his followers to discover.  With forty days of preparation, Lent has great significance to many historical events in the life of the Church.

Lent comes to its pinnacle during Holy Week, when we remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. During this week we begin on Palm Sunday, when the crowds worshiped him as he entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. We witness afresh the meaning of Maundy Thursday, when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and humbly washed the feet of his disciples. From there we enter Good Friday, when the crowds have turned against him and demanded his crucifixion. We watch once more the beatings, whippings, anguish, and torment from his accusers, with the penultimate sacrifice of his nail-pierced hands and feet on the cross at Calvary. But, the drama doesn’t end there with the darkness of death. We are led to the empty tomb, and into the bright light of joy-filled Resurrection Day.

During Lent many will abstain from some kind of “luxury” such as sweets, or meat, or travel, or any other self-indulgence that keeps one from remembering the awful curse of the cross. Others will add to their lifestyles some additional expression of devotion to Christ, such as a daily reader, additional attendance at worship gatherings, volunteering services to those in need, noticing or emphasizing a particular practice, or joining a group studying a Lenten topic. Still others will choose to become more generous during Lent, sending cards, gifts, and tokens of affection to loved ones, or making financial offerings anonymously to those in need. Whatever you choose to do is up to you, for each option is merely an invitation not a requirement. It’s perfectly fine to not delete, add, or multiply anything new during this season. What’s most important is ensuring your heart is intentionally attentive to the gifts that Jesus has given by way of his ultimate sacrifice on the cross: forgiveness of sins, fullness of blessings in this life, and a forever home awaiting you in heaven.

For the next forty days, we will travel this well-worn pathway once more. This time, let me invite you to consider Jesus’ “outstretched arms of love” toward all who followed him as disciples, seeking to emulate his life, self-sacrifice, and humble service to others. We will review and reflect upon forty distinct times and ways Jesus stretched out his arms of love to all who beheld his glory, believed his message, belonged as his disciples, and sought to became more and more like his image…to become more of their true identity in Christ Alone.

What will be your choice this Lenten season, when for forty days we will all join our hearts in unison devotion, anticipating once more the celebration of the Risen Christ? May the journey ahead be good for your soul.

SHARE THIS POST

Can't find what you're looking for?

Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

Detailed Biography
Articles by Stephen Macchia
Author Website
Schedule a one-on-one with Steve

Fill out my online form.

Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.