What is Lent and why is it important?

Have you ever wondered what people are talking about when they say they are giving up something for Lent? Do you need help understanding what Lent is and how it relates to Easter? Lent is 40 days (excluding Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Saturday before Easter. Lent is often described as a time of preparation and an opportunity to deepen God. This means that it is a time of personal reflection that prepares people's hearts and minds for Good Friday and Easter. What are the key days of Lent?
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. You may have noticed people with a smudged black cross on their foreheads. Those are the ashes of the Ash Wednesday service. The ashes symbolize our grief for the things we have done wrong and the resulting division of imperfect people from a perfect God. Holy Thursday is the day before Good Friday. Commemorates the night before Jesus' death when he shared the Passover meal with his closest friends and followers.

Good Friday is the day that Christians remember the death of Jesus. The "Good" reflects how Jesus' death was a sacrifice for us so that we could receive God's forgiveness for our wrongs or sins. Easter Sunday is the joyful celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead to give us the opportunity for eternal life. While people still die, Jesus has created the way for people to have a relationship with God in this life and spend eternity with Him in heaven. What happens during Lent and why? The three main things people focus on during Lent are prayer, fasting (refraining from something to reduce distractions and focus more on God), and giving, or charity. Prayer during Lent focuses on our need for God's forgiveness. It is also about repenting (turning away from our sins) and receiving God's mercy and love.

Fasting, or giving up something, is a very common practice during Lent. The idea is that giving up something that is a normal part of life, like eating dessert or scrolling through Facebook, can be a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. That time can also be replaced with more time to connect with God. Giving money or doing something good for others is a way to respond to God's grace, generosity, and love. For example, some people spend time volunteering or donating money that they would normally use to buy something, such as morning coffee. It is important to note that doing these things can never earn or deserve Jesus' sacrifice or a relationship with God. People are imperfect and will never be good enough for a perfect God. Only Jesus has the power to save us from ourselves. Jesus sacrificed himself on Good Friday to bear the punishment for all our misdeeds and offer us forgiveness. He was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday to give us the opportunity to have a relationship with God for eternity. Spending time during Lent praying, fasting, and giving can make Jesus' sacrifice on Good Friday and His Resurrection at Easter even more meaningful.