Since the earliest times, Christians have entered into an extended season of preparation for the celebration of the resurrection (Easter) as a powerful opportunity to be further conformed to Christ. This season of preparation eventually came to be formalized (325AD) as a 40-day season that we now call Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Maundy Thursday (with Good Friday and Holy Saturday added as additional fast days). The season of Lent is a penitential time in the Church. It is associated with fasting, repentance, taking up new disciplines or practices, and almsgiving. We fast in order to reveal the deep hunger and thirst that we have for God. Lent reveals our need for the mercy and a grace that only God can provide. 

The liturgical color for Lent is purple - the color for royalty, but also the color for repentance. Purple has long been a royal color associated with kings and rulers and with nobility. It later became a penitential color. This is because in Lent we focus on the fact that the King of the Universe came to die and rise again to free us from sin and death.

In Lent, participants will typically fast from certain things as a form of self-discipline, identification with the sufferings of Christ, and spiritual participation in the desert wanderings of Christ. Lenten fasts act at 1) spiritual preparation for Easter, 2) a sort of detox from things which may have an unhealthy hold on us, 3) a form of self-denial, or self-discipline, and 4) an act of repentance / identification with the sufferings of Christ / participation in His fast.

Resources for Lent: 

We’ve put together a few resources to assist you in your participation in Lent this year. 


Here are a few recommended books for you to consider – 


Fr. John led a Catechesis session on Lent a couple of years ago, which many may find helpful.

Listen along with us to this Lent playlist on Spotify, featuring a variety of contemplative, somber, and penitential songs.

Lent is a liturgical season consisting of the 40 days leading up to Easter, not counting Sundays. It is a season of preparatory fasting, self-discipline, anticipation, and spiritual preparation for the Easter Feast, mirroring the wilderness wanderings of the people of Israel, and ultimately the 40-day fast of Jesus in the desert.