Throughout my life, I have listened to different priests describe Lent in different ways. One compared it to a journey, another likened it to boot camp, and still another one equated it to an examination in front of the spiritual mirror.

Although these priests used different—but very strong—analogies, they all effectively drove home the true point of Lent: to draw closer to God.

No matter how you conceptualize Lent, I hope you are able to draw closer to God during it.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the kickoff of a 40+ day holy period. For the next 6.5 weeks, Christians will focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as a way to walk with Jesus through the desert so that we might properly prepare ourselves for Easter.

Lent isn’t for the faint of heart. As I often quote yet another priest, “Lent isn’t my favorite time but it is a necessary time.” Sometimes you have to endure trials and tribulations to reach glory and I don’t think there is anything that better exemplifies this reality than the relationship between Lent and Easter.

No matter how you conceptualize Lent or how your parish priest describes it, I hope you make the most out of the next 46 days. May your walk with Jesus lead you to a good place on April 5 so that you can celebrate Easter to its fullest. Don’t Blink.

Past Lenten Blog Posts
Lent 2025: Looking Into the Spiritual Mirror
Pursuing the Best Reward
Lent 2024: Ash Wednesday Over Valentine’s Day
General Lenten Points of Emphasis
Lent 2023: A Necessary Time
Lent 2022: Solidarity With Ukraine
The Lenten Road
The Journey of Lent
The Real Purpose of Lent