Ash Wednesday (February 18th) marked the beginning of the Lenten season for the western church. Lent is the 40-day liturgical season where we journey with Jesus to the cross. The Lenten practices of fasting and prayer are done in remembrance of Jesus’ own fasting and prayer during his 40-day retreat to the desert in preparation for his earthly mission.
In his article “Lent as a Forty-Day Retreat,” author Michael Glerup writes,“The purpose of Lent . . . was to step aside from the daily routine in order to become more attentive to God, to refocus, to pray, to fast, and to seek healing and restoration of purity––many of the same qualities associated with our present model of ‘spiritual retreat’.” As we solemnly enter this Lenten season, we invite you to consider the next 40 days as an extended time of spiritual retreat.