Lent
Lent is a season of preparation and renewal in the Christian year, inviting us to draw closer to God through repentance, prayer, fasting, and generosity. Rooted in the biblical tradition of forty-day periods of spiritual testing and renewal—such as Israel’s time in the wilderness and Jesus’ fasting before his public ministry—Lent calls us to journey with Christ toward the cross.
At its heart, Lent is a time to remember our need for God’s mercy and to focus on the profound love revealed in Jesus’ sacrifice. Through self-examination and spiritual discipline, we turn away from sin and open our hearts to the transforming grace of God. This season ultimately leads us to the joy of Easter, where we celebrate the victory of Christ’s resurrection.
Lenten Season Playlist. A playlist curated by our Music Leader, Katherine Colburn.
St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach. Two of the greatest Lenten works of all time. It’s Bach, after all.
Miserere by Gregorio Allegri. “Miserere Mei, Deus” is the Latin translation of the opening words of Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God.” Various composers have set this prayer of forgiveness to music, but the most famous version is that of Gregorio Allegri.
Music
Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. More than seventy Lenten and Easter readings by various writers, poets, and theologians.
From Wilderness to Glory: Lent and Easter for Everyone. Daily reflections on the story of Jesus in Scripture that help us understand our experience of the Gospel.
The Good of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent. An introduction to the purpose and history of Lent and the proper way to understand it.
Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal. A book demonstrating how Lent is not a mindless ritual or self-improvement program but, instead, points us to our sin and the mercy of Christ.