Why Do We Celebrate Lent? Understanding Its Meaning and Purpose
- Nadia Renata
- Feb 26, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 17
Lent is a season of reflection, prayer and fasting. It spans six weeks and begins 46 days before Easter Sunday. Of those 46 days, 40 are observed as days of fasting; Sundays are excluded because each Sunday is considered a celebration of the Resurrection, even during a solemn season.
Much like Advent prepares hearts for Christmas, Lent prepares believers for Easter. The difference is tone. Advent carries anticipation and quiet joy. Lent carries weight. It invites honesty, repentance and spiritual discipline as Christians prepare to remember the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Lenten period begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes at Easter. Within that journey are symbols, practices and sacred days that deepen its meaning.
Some of the key elements of Lent is as follows:
The Number 40
The number 40 holds deep significance in Jewish-Christian scripture:
In the Book of Genesis, rain fell for 40 days and nights during the flood.
The Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land.
Moses fasted 40 days before receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
Most importantly for Lent, Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry.
Lent mirrors that 40-day fast. It represents testing, preparation, purification and dependence on God.
The Colour Purple
Purple is the liturgical colour of Lent. It symbolises mourning and penitence, anticipating the suffering of the Crucifixion. At the same time, purple is historically associated with royalty, pointing toward Christ’s kingship and ultimate victory.
During Lent, churches are often stripped of decorative elements. The Priest's Vestments is usually the deepest, darkest shade of purple. Statues may be veiled. The altar appears simpler. The atmosphere shifts. The visual change reinforces the spiritual focus: less distraction, more reflection.
Confession
Lent is a season of repentance. Reflection naturally leads to self-examination, and self-examination leads to confession.
Many Christians are encouraged to receive the sacrament of confession at least once during Lent. It is not about shame; it is about restoration. The season creates space to confront what needs healing and to begin again.
Prayer and Fasting
Fasting during Lent takes different forms:
Abstaining from meat on certain days (especially Fridays).
Giving up particular foods or comforts.
Fasting from alcohol, smoking or other habits.
Reducing meal times (such as fasting between specific hours).
Stepping back from digital distractions or social media.
The purpose is not punishment. It is discipline. When paired with prayer, fasting sharpens awareness and builds spiritual resilience. It reminds believers that they are not sustained by comfort alone.
Fasting is particularly powerful when paired with prayer and confession.
Charity/Almsgiving
Lent is not only inward-focused. As Christians meditate on Christ’s suffering, they are also called to respond to the suffering around them.
Almsgiving may include:
Increased financial offerings.
Donating clothing or household items.
Volunteering time.
Supporting community initiatives.
The discipline of giving grounds faith in action.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most solemn week in the Christian calendar. It commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where crowds laid palm branches before Him in honour and expectation.
Palm crosses distributed on this day are often kept until the following year’s Ash Wednesday. These palms are traditionally burned to create the ashes used at the next Ash Wednesday service.
Holy Week then unfolds as a sacred progression toward the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday recall Christ’s final days of public ministry in Jerusalem, including the cleansing of the Temple and His final teachings.
Holy Wednesday, also called Spy Wednesday in some traditions, commemorates Judas Iscariot’s agreement to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) commemorates the Last Supper. Many churches include the washing of feet in imitation of Christ’s humility toward His disciples. The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. In some dioceses, the Chrism Mass, during which sacred oils are blessed by the bishop, is celebrated earlier in Holy Week.
Good Friday is a day of mourning, remembering the Crucifixion and death of Jesus. Services often take place at 3pm, traditionally understood as the hour of His death. The altar is stripped bare, the Tabernacle stands empty, and the church reflects solemn silence.
Holy Saturday, often referred to as Glorious Saturday in many Catholic communities, culminates in the Easter Vigil. It is a day of quiet waiting, marking the time Christ lay in the tomb. After nightfall, the Paschal Candle is lit in darkness, symbolising the light of the Resurrection breaking into the shadow of the grave.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It completes the Easter Triduum, which began on the evening of Holy Thursday and begins the Easter season.
According to the Gospels, Christ rose on the third day following His Crucifixion. For Christians, this moment represents the triumph of life over death, light over darkness and hope over despair. Easter is considered the most important feast in the Christian calendar because it proclaims the fulfillment of God’s promise.
So Why Do We Celebrate Lent?
Lent is not simply about giving up chocolate or observing ritual. It is about recalibration. It is a structured pause before resurrection. It invites believers to:
Examine their lives.
Release what distracts.
Repair what is broken.
Deepen prayer.
Practice generosity.
Prepare their hearts.
In a culture that often avoids discomfort, Lent teaches endurance. In a world that moves quickly, Lent insists on stillness. In seasons of noise, it makes room for reflection.
And at the end of that journey stands Easter, not as a surprise, but as a victory prepared for with intention.
Whisper to Your Heart
Lent is not about deprivation.
It is about remembering what truly sustains you.
It is the courage to sit with discomfort instead of numbing it.
It is the discipline of choosing growth over habit.
It is the quiet decision to return, again and again, to what matters.
You are allowed to slow down.
You are allowed to examine your heart.
You are allowed to release what no longer aligns with who you are becoming.
Renewal rarely begins in noise.
It begins in stillness.
– Nadia Renata | Audacious Evolution
Affirmation of the Day
I embrace this season of reflection with honesty and courage.
I release what weakens me and strengthen what grounds me.
I move through discipline with intention, knowing renewal awaits.
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