Lent: The Bread of Life for a world hungry for the Mystery of Christ

 

Lent is the season of 40 days, minus the six Sundays, from Ash Wednesday (2/18/26) to Easter Sunday (4/5/2026). Sundays are the Lord's Day, always a feast day, never an occasion for fasting or the kind of introspection that characterizes this season.

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In the ancient church, Lent was the time when those who were to be baptized at Easter made their final preparation for membership. Hence, Lent is a time for intensified: prayer, fasting, and study by all who have been previously baptized. Its themes are transformation and renewal made possible by Divine Covenant love as attested in the life of Christ.

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Lent draws us into a deeper encounter with Jesus—not only as teacher and healer, but as the One who calls Himself the Bread of Life. These forty days invite us to listen again to His words in John 6: “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Lent is a season to bring our hunger, our longing, and our questions to Jesus, trusting that He alone satisfies the deepest needs of the heart.

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Following Jesus Into the Mystery

Throughout Lent, Jesus leads us into the profound mystery of His life, death, and resurrection. We watch Him feed the hungry, welcome the weary, and speak truth that unsettles and heals. We hear Him say that His flesh is true food and His blood true drink—words that point us toward the cross and the table, toward sacrifice and communion, toward a love that gives itself completely.

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Lent invites us to stand in awe before this mystery. Not to solve it, but to be shaped by it.

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Returning to Jesus, the Bread Who Gives Life

Lent is a season of return—returning to Jesus with honesty, humility, and hope. He meets us in our emptiness and offers Himself as nourishment. He meets us in our confusion and offers Himself as truth. He meets us in our weakness and offers Himself as strength.

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This season encourages us to ask:

• Where am I hungry for the life Jesus gives?

• What keeps me from receiving the Bread of Life with trust?

• How is Jesus inviting me deeper into His mystery?

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Practices That Open Us to Jesus

Prayer, fasting, and giving are ancient pathways that help us draw near to Jesus.

• Prayer opens our hearts to the presence of the One who feeds us.

• Fasting awakens our hunger for Jesus rather than lesser things.

• Giving reflects the self-giving love Jesus pours out for the world.

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These practices are not burdens; they are invitations to make room for the Bread of Life.

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The Mystery That Leads to Resurrection

Lent is honest about struggle, but it is never without hope. Jesus walks with us through every wilderness and every question. The mystery of Christ’s love—poured out, lifted up, and made new—carries us toward Easter. The cross becomes the doorway to life, and the empty tomb becomes the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus.

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Walking Together Toward the Table

As a community, we journey with Jesus side by side. We encourage one another, pray for one another, and remind one another that the Bread of Life is for all. Jesus gathers us, feeds us, and leads us forward. May this Lent draw you deeper into the mystery of Christ. May Jesus, the Bread of Life, satisfy your hunger and renew your spirit. And may the journey toward the Risen Christ fill you with wonder, gratitude, and hope.

 

                                                                                                Here's to a Blessed Lent,

                                                                                                                       Pastor Josh