If you’re not Catholic or Anglican, you probably only have a vague idea of what Lent is. Lent is a 40-day season of preparation for Easter (which parallels Advent, the 4-week preparation for Christmas). It is a time of penitence (repenting), and the 40 days reminds us of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. I’m sure you can tell already this is a solemn time; not a time of celebration like Easter. One little-known fact about Lent is that it has breaks. Every Sunday in Lent is a “day off” from the usual discipline of Lent, because every Sunday is a “little Easter”, and Easter is a day of celebration.
Why does this matter? What is the value of Lent in the 21st century? First is the contrast with our consumerist culture that puts the self as the center of everything. While our culture is all about getting what you want, Lent is about purposely giving up what we want—denying the self. In doing so, we acknowledge that we are not the center of the universe. We suffer self-imposed hardship because there is something—or rather someone—more important than ourselves.
Because we are not the center of the universe, we are not the arbiters of holiness; God is. He has set the standard, and we measure ourselves against that standard. Lent is a time for taking an honest look at where we fall short. (Think of it like looking at yourself in a full-length mirror wearing only your underwear, and seeing the fat, the moles, the wrinkles—everything—and really taking it in.) It can be painful to acknowledge our sins and the hurt they cause to others, but humility and truth demand it. Only then, in the light of day, can we fully recognize our need for a Savior.
The second reason Lent matters today is about time. Easter has always been the single greatest celebration in the Christian year. It recognizes Jesus’s resurrection, and thereby His victory over death. It also demonstrates His great love for us. All that would be diminished if it just came out of nowhere. Something so amazing requires preparation. Lent gives us the gift of preparation, so that by the time Easter arrives, we are truly longing for it. We have measured ourselves against God’s standard, we have seen our sins in all their ugliness, yearned to be freed from them, and hopefully taken steps to change our ways.
Waiting is another element of time, which is the final gift of Lent. We know Lent ends at Easter, but we must wait. In a world where gratification is nearly instant, waiting is a skill we underuse. We must wait 40 days. It cannot be rushed. Waiting is a gift.
If you’ve never experienced Lent before, now is a great time to give it a try. Attend an Ash Wednesday service on February 18. Plan a discipline for Lent: Either something you give up (like chocolate or social media), or something you add (like daily prayer or reading scripture). Plan to celebrate Easter. And do this with someone else. Jesus may have been alone in the wilderness, but the Lenten road is best traveled together.
