Lent (2026)

Lent and Easter:  Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of the Messiah, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, occurs this year on Sunday, April 5. Some church traditions mark the approach of Easter with a time for reflection called Lent.  The forty-day season of Lent – which actually encompasses forty-six calendar days, minus the six Sundays that occur "in Lent" but aren't part of Lent – began on Wednesday, February 18, the day often called Ash Wednesday. 
 
You may think of Lent as an unusual tradition.  Perhaps you didn't attend church when you were younger, or maybe you grew up in a church that didn't "do" Lent.  Perhaps you grew up with a tradition (or even a mandate) to give up something for Lent.  That tradition is actually a longstanding one, but there's more to the notion and intent of Lent than going six weeks without chocolate!

Lent is meant to be a season for reflection, a time to pause in the midst of life’s busyness and create space for God. We'd encourage you to set aside some time, daily or weekly, to think about Jesus life, ministry, and His inexorable journey to Jerusalem where He would become the ultimate, once and for all, Passover Lamb.  In ancient times, the weeks before Easter were used to prepare catechumens (a fancy, old-fashioned "church word" for people undergoing instruction in the Christian faith) for their baptism and reception as members of  the Christian church, which would typically happen at Easter.  

The ancient tradition might not be quite what you're looking for this year, but you might enjoy reading or listening to a Lenten devotional series. There are many (many!) options. For example, you can give a listen to the 2026 edition of the Lenten podcast series we recommended last year from Trinity Church in Atlanta, GA. Just click here for their Lenten podcasts.
 
If you're the "DIY" type, you might enjoy spending some intentional time in the Scriptures, reading from relevant sections of any (or all!) of the four Gospels – for example, perhaps Matthew, starting with chapter 14; Mark, starting with chapter 8; Luke, starting with chapter 9; or John, starting with chapter 11. Since you've got more than 40 calendar days until Easter, there's no need to rush! Take your time, savor and reflect on the scenes, the people and their stories, and the lessons collected and shared by the Gospels' authors as they strove under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to document Jesus' life, ministry, and His laser focus on Jerusalem, the Cross, and ultimately the glory of Easter.

As I mentioned last week, Lent is "extra-scriptural", a tradition inspired and informed by the Scriptures, but not specifically discussed or addressed in them. Nonetheless, as the days lengthen and winter melts into spring, Lent gives us an opportunity to focus on Jesus, true God and true man, as we eagerly await Easter.

Whether you choose to observe Lent or any of its traditions this year, this is a good time to think about what God has done for you (for all of us) through His steadfast love for us and His keening desire to reunite all of His children with Him.