Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the Christian holy day that marks the start of the 40-day season of Lent. Perhaps you are very much aware of yesterday’s significance because you celebrated the day at Mass; your forehead might still bear a cross-shaped smudge of ashes placed there by a priest.* I did not grow up in a church that followed the liturgical calendar, and for years my primary association with Lent had to do with ketchup, which my mom (who was raised Catholic) gave up for Lent as a teen, thereby breaking a childhood ketchup obsession**.

In the past decade, I’ve become more familiar with liturgical seasons, and though I still don’t practice them in any formal way, I do enjoy marking Advent and Lent through some casual practices.

So what exactly is Lent, and why is it important? According to GotQuestions.org, “Lent is a period of fasting, moderation, and self-denial traditionally observed by Catholics and some Protestant denominations. It begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday.” The length of the Lenten fast was marked in the fourth century as 46 days; however, we say that this is a 40-day season because Sundays are excluded.

Lent is intended to be a time for reflection, repentance, and preparation to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Many Christians lean into the sacramental aspects of the season, which is why I grew up thinking Lent was all about eschewing ketchup (or chocolate, another popular sacrifice among the Catholic friends of my childhood). I think there is great value to fasting, which is described in Scripture as beneficial and which can serve to take our eyes off of earthly things and set them instead on God. But fasting is not exclusive to Lent, nor is it the only way to meaningfully engage with the season.

I have never fasted from anything for Lent, choosing instead to adopt other rituals that focus my mind on Christ in this season. In the past I’ve engaged in Lenten journaling practices or read through Lenten devotionals. This year, I’m honoring Lent through an intentional meditation on the words of Jesus. I want to spend more time with HIM this season through a study of the words He spoke in His time on earth. And I’m bringing all of you along with me for this practice! Each Thursday from now through Easter, I’ll be sharing my reflections on a different saying of Jesus. I’ll be looking at what these words mean to me, and what they have to say about the nature and character of God.

In a move that’s a little out of line with my own character and tendencies, I haven’t yet selected specific sayings for this practice. This will be an exercise of listening to the Shepherd’s guidance in knowing which words of Jesus need to be my focus each week. I’ll admit to some trepidation in sharing this practice publicly, as I have no idea what God is planning to teach me in this season and what that might mean for my blog content. That’s something we will all be exploring in real time! I hope you will join me in this dedicated time with our Savior as we look ahead to the celebration of His resurrection.

I’d love to hear from you! Will you be engaging in any specific practices for Lent? Do you have a favorite saying of Jesus that you would like me to explore for my own Lenten practice? Let’s discuss in the comments (either here on the blog or over on Substack).

* But if that’s the case, your face wash called and said it misses you.

** Not being a ketchup fan myself, this would not have been much of a sacrifice for me. Mustard, on the other hand, is a different story.