Lent: An Ancient Journey Still Relevant Today by Canon Val Kenyon
Lent at its heart it’s an invitation to slow down and to walk a path that Christians have been walking for almost 2,000 years. As we stand on the threshold of this season, we are joining countless others who have prayed, fasted, reflected, stumbled, and started again, all seeking to draw a little closer to God.

In our prayer book, we speak of Lent as a time to “keep a holy Lent.” This can at first sound a little intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. At its essence, Lent encourages us to pay attention: to our lives, our relationships, and to our faith. Practices like prayer, reading Scripture, fasting, and acts of generosity aren’t meant to make us feel guilty or inadequate. They’re meant to help us lay aside some of the “clutter” in our lives so that we can hear God’s voice more clearly.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “We are made for goodness. We are made for love. We are made for togetherness.” Lent helps us notice the places where we’ve lost our way from that truth while at the same time gently inviting us back. Repentance is about turning around, again and again, toward love, compassion, and life.

While it can be tempting to try to undertake large gestures, it is really small, steady practices that can often be far more effective. Perhaps that is setting aside a few quiet minutes each day for prayer or reading a short passage of Scripture slowly and thoughtfully. Perhaps we might choose to fast, not just from food, but from things that drain us, freeing up more time for reflection. Perhaps we might take on a practice that brings life, like gratitude, kindness, or reaching out to someone who might be feeling isolated. All important parts of the season.

Lent also reminds us that our faith is much more than just a personal pursuit. To quote Archbishop Tutu again, “My humanity is bound up in yours.” It is in acts of care and generosity, sharing what we have, offering forgiveness, showing up for one another, that are so central to Lent. As we make space in our own lives, we become more aware of the needs around us. In all of this Lent is never meant to be gloomy. It’s a hopeful season because we serve a God who loves, heals and renews us.