Lent

As we enter the Lenten season—a sacred time observed by Christians around the world—it is important to remember the true purpose of Lent. Traditionally, Lent is 40 days marked by prayer, fasting, repentance, and generosity. Just as we prepare for birthdays, weddings, or holidays, Lent invites us to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter. 

But why 40 days? 

Throughout Scripture, the number forty consistently represents preparation, testing, and transformation. Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry (Matthew 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2). The Israelites wandered forty years in the desert before entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33). Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai in the presence of the Lord (Exodus 24:18). Elijah journeyed forty days to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8). Jonah proclaimed forty days of repentance to Nineveh (Jonah 3:4). Even the flood in Noah’s time lasted forty days and nights (Genesis 7:4). 

These seasons were not arbitrary. They were times of refining—of learning dependence on God. 

Fasting, the most recognized Lenten practice, is not meant to punish us or strip joy from our lives. When we give up something—whether technology, fast food, gossiping, sleeping in, or other distractions—we are not simply removing a habit. We are fasting to replace those habits with prayer, worship, and deeper reliance on Christ. Lent clears away distractions so we may draw nearer to God. 

Yet fasting is not only about personal discipline. 

Historically, fasting—especially abstaining from food—has also been a practice of solidarity. It is supposed to remind us that many of our brothers and sisters do not choose hunger. When we willingly reduce our food consumption, we mirror in a small way the deprivation faced daily by those experiencing poverty. As Pope Benedict once reflected, fasting in solidarity with the poor declares that “our brother or sister in need is not a stranger.” Fasting unites the Body of Christ not only in devotion but in compassion. 

In many church traditions, fasting is paired with almsgiving—the intentional giving of money, goods, or services to those in need. Often, the money saved from meals or luxuries during Lent is redirected toward the poor. This practice calls us to look honestly at poverty in our own communities and to open both our hearts and our hands. 

Here in Anderson, many individuals and families rely on support simply to eat.

So what might this Lenten call look like for us?

As your sister in Christ, I encourage you to prayerfully consider what may be distracting you from God this season. And if you are searching for a tangible way to live out the spirit of Lent, I invite you to join us in serving our neighbors experiencing homelessness and deep poverty by providing a meal at the LOT Project. 

By preparing and sharing a meal, you are not only meeting a physical need—you are embodying the heart of Lent: self-denial that becomes generosity, prayer that becomes action, and worship that becomes love for neighbor. 

My hope is that during these forty days we would hunger more deeply for God, grow in compassion for the poor, and remember that true fulfillment is found not in what we give up, but in whom we follow—Christ.

Grace and peace to you. 

If you are interested in becoming a meal provider, please feel free to contact us at info@thelotproject.com