Guide for 2024: Explanations of Various Aspects of the Season,

Activities for Families and Children, Devotionals for Adults

Compiled by Rev. Kristen Yates

What is Lent?

Lent is a time of devotion and discipline as we prepare our hearts for the great celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is a 40-day period that starts with Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. If you are new to the liturgical tradition, you may be unfamiliar with Lent, but Lent has occupied a special place in the Church since the earliest of times. It is a time of repentance and great hope, and during this season, we are invited into two important postures of heart and mind.

First, we are invited to seriously consider our sin and our fallen human condition.  If we are truthful with ourselves during this season, we say with the apostle Paul “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do; but what I hate, I do” (Romans 7:15).  Thus, during Lent, we admit that we are sinful individuals - people who continually wrestle with pride, self-centeredness, hatred, control, envy, prejudice, and many other vices.    But that is not all we do.

Additionally, in the Season of Lent, we are invited to reflect on the nature of Christian hope. Though it is true that we are sinful human beings, it is also true that Christ so loved the world that He died for us while we were still sinners, and then He was raised from the dead, opening up the possibility for believers to be reconciled with God, forgiven, healed, and steadily transformed into Christ-likeness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So the truth of Lent is that even as we grapple with our fallen condition throughout the season, we are also continually invited to look with anticipation towards the triumph of Easter Day, and to take hold of the wonderful consequences that this triumph has on our lives, not only for all eternity, but in our present lives.

One way to think of Lent is in juxtaposition to the Season of Advent, which is the season before Christmas. While Advent can be said to be about “God with us”, Lent can be said to be about “God for us”.  

As Greg Pennoyer says, 

“If Advent/Christmas is a revelation of God’s presence with us, then Lent/Easter is a revelation of God’s desire to use all of life for our wholeness and our healing – the revelation that he will pull life from death.   . . .  Lent and Easter reveal the God who is for us in all of life – for our liberation, for our healing, for our wholeness.  Lent and Easter remind us that even in death there can be found resurrection.”  (Pennoyer, “God for Us”,

So friends, let us enter into this season with repentance, thankful hearts and hope.

For much more information on the Season of Lent, check out the FAQs a the bottom of this page. Also, check out this Udemy course “Journey Through Lent” by Esau McCaulley.

Devotional Practices

Lenten Devotionals – Take on a Lenten devotional.  There are many out there, but here are a few that I suggest for you:

Resources Suggested by Mission Cincinnati congregants

Fasting and Feasting – Consider taking on rhythms of fasting and feasting during this season. Here are three articles to help you understand what fasting is all about: “Fasting for Lent” and “Fasting and Feasting for Lent” and How to Fast for Lent. Also, you may consider fasting from a habit, a habit that in itself may not be bad, but seems to be increasingly taking you away from “loving God and loving neighbor”, a habit that is becoming a bit of an idol, is controlling you rather than you controlling it. (i.e., many people give up social media for Lent.)

“Beauty and Brokenness”: An Ash Wednesday Sermon - Unable to come to our Ash Wednesday service? Listen to an Ash Wednesday sermon from Rev Kristen from year’s past.

Family Activities for Lent and Easter

While Lent is a solemn season, there are plenty of fun and meaningful activities to engage with your family during this season. Here are some:

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Meal: It is typical for many churches and families in the Anglican Tradition to host a pancake supper on the Tuesday before Lent starts.

Lent Cross Necklace: Make a beaded necklace that marks the days and weeks of Lent. Here are the Instructions.

Pretzel-making: Did you you know that pretzels first became popular in Lent in the 7th Century? Read more here on the Lenten practice of making pretzels and to get a recipe.

Seder Meal: It is a fairly common tradition for churches to hold a Seder dinner on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter). This is also a practice that can be done at home. The Seder dinner looks back to Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and to the Passover (when the Israelites escaped from their bondage in Egypt). This is a fun event with a delicious meal. For more background information on the Seder, read here. For a Seder liturgy by Ann Voskamp and list of items you need for the meal, click here or reach out to Rev. Kristen who has done this with youth and adults for years.

Resurrection Eggs for Holy Week: Resurrection eggs are a simple and fun way to share the story of Easter with children. Resurrection eggs consist of the regular plastic eggs that people hide for Easter Egg hunts, but rather than having candy inside, they hold symbols inside pertaining to Jesus’ story of death and resurrection. For everything you need to create your own Resurrection eggs with your children, click here (Also, in a similar fashion, if you would prefer, you can create an Easter Egg tree with egg ornaments with the different symbols in them. If you like, you can even buy these egg ornaments here. You can also give your children these resurrection egg coloring pages.)

Resurrection Garden: Resurrection gardens are mini gardens in pots that help children “wait” during the season of Lent. Planted a couple weeks before Easter, children have to go through the process of “burying” the seeds, waiting, and then eventually seeing new life. Its a good visual for telling the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. While there are many ways to plant such a garden, here is one way. Also, I have seen some families bury rocks or paper with their sins written on them at the bottom of the garden. This is could be a good first step in the beginning weeks of Lent as you teach your children about self-reflection and confession.

Love at Lent Cards: Cards for purchase with 50 activities for children to do throughout the season that encourage forgiveness, generosity, prayer, and gratitude. You can buy them here.

At Home Liturgy for Maundy Thursday: Liturgy for whole family including footwashing. You can find it here.

At Home Liturgy for Good Friday: Liturgy for whole family including stations of the cross. You can find it here.

Daily Prayer With Your Children: Are you wanting to learn the practice of praying regularly with your children? If so, consider starting this practice this Lent. “Pray Daily for Families” is a great resource which is based off of the Anglican Daily Office and is geared towards children. It also includes fun illustrations. The general pattern of these morning and evening prayers is “Come and Listen,” “Give Thanks and Praise,” “Ask and Offer,” and “Go and Love”.

Lent FAQs

Why Is Lent 40 Days?

There is a theological and practical reason.

  • The theological reason:  In biblical terms, it is a round number that symbolizes fullness – it is a time sufficient to accomplish what needs to be accomplished.  There are many examples in the Bible of 40-day periods.  It rained for 40 days in the time of Noah, Moses and Elijah dwelt at Horeb for 40 days, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days prior His baptism, etc. etc.

  • The practical reason:  40 days was a sufficient amount of time for converts to make their final, intensive preparation for baptism in the early days of Christianity (since at least the 4th century onward). 

    (Of note, if you count the days between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday, you’ll actually get 46 days; it is because the Sundays throughout the season are considered feast days and do not count towards the season. We refer to them as “Sundays in Lent.”)

What are the Origins of Lent?

In the early centuries of Christianity, folks would generally be baptized on Easter, and wanting to be like Jesus who fasted before he began his ministry, Christians also wanted a period of disciplined devotion, concentrated study and prayer, and fasting before their baptism.  So they did just that.  Interestingly enough, this time also became a time when those who had been separated from the church on account of church discipline would prepare to be restored back into the fellowship of the church.  Soon, the whole church would view this time before Easter as a time of disciplined devotion, and this time would turn into the season of Lent as we know it.

What is the liturgical color of Lent?

Since Lent is a penitential season, the color of the season is purple.

What is the focus of the Lectionary During Lent?

In the Lectionary readings for the season, (the prescribed readings from the Book of Common Prayer), there is a movement or change in themes in the readings as the season progresses.  At the start of the season, we reflect more on our disobedience, as well as our alienation from God, each other, and the whole creation.  At the close of the season, we reflect more on the benefits of divine redemption and the fruits of repentance. 

First five days of Lent : During the first five days of the season, the readings emphasize both judgment and hope.  We are rebellious and mortal yet we are assured of what we can become by the grace of God.

2nd through 6th Sunday in Lent : During the rest of the season, the lectionary focuses on themes of God’s covenant – his initiative, his promise, and the newness of life that is offered to us through God’s grace.  We also hear who we are, by nature and who we are by God’s purposes and redemptive plans.  By the time we reach Easter, we find ourselves planted at the foot of the cross, beholding the power of redemption and the Resurrection!

What are the Holy Days of Lent?

Throughout the season, there are particularly important days that the Church observes. These include:

  • Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras (the day before Lent starts)

  • Ash Wednesday

  • Holy Week

    • Palm Sunday

    • The Triduum

      • Holy Thursday,

      • Good Friday, and

      • Holy Saturday

For an explanation of each of these Holy Days, click here.