Daily Lent Devotion
Follow the Daily Lent Devotion 
Introduction to the Lent Tradition
The Lent tradition began in the early 3rd and 4th centuries of the early church. The practice derived from the biblical narrative of the people of Israel being tested in the wilderness for 40 years, as well as from Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness. The church has adopted this 40-day period as a season of preparation and repentance in anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter day.
In Latin, Lent means, "dawning of the sun." Lent is also known as springtime, fitting imagery for a season of the Church year that is intentional about self-examination and preparation. The process of the "dawning of the sun" is both revealing and restorative. The sun pushes back the shadows that have covered the ground and reveals all that has withered. The sun then applies its' restorative property, offering nourishment to the ground and vegetation, once again yielding life. The spiritual life is similar. The season of Lent offers a time when we take a closer look at what lurks within us, within the shadows. At the same time, we are offered nourishment and restoration that is found only in the life and death of Jesus Christ.
These daily Lent devotions have been a collaborative effort. Our intent is to give some ideas, thoughts, and challenges that may be helpful in the self-examination process. If you desire more readings, there are suggestions at the end of each week. You will notice that the readings on Sundays are different. During Lent, Sundays are known as "Feast Days." Traditionally, they are days when the Church comes together and breaks their "fast" by sharing the Eucharistic meal. Therefore, as a way to help us be mindful of the wider community of San Francisco and the world, we have not offered a traditional written reflection, but rather devotions in the form of photographs and poems.
During this season of self-examination, we also want to keep in the forefront the mission that Christ put before himself and before us; however, our sense of mission is propelled by the work God does in our hearts during Lent. Like the bread in the Eucharist, it is only after we've been broken that we can be given to the world. Lent prepares us to be given to the world and God's mission in it. We pray that during the Lenten journey you will encounter God in a new and deeper way as you join Christ in his mission
Contributors
Melisa Blankenship
Rev. Dr. Chuck DeGroat
Karl Digerness
Rev. Fred Harrell
Rev. Mike Hayes
Grace Hsiao
Anni Mingin
Matt Nault
Rev. Frances Nelson
Maggie Rockers
Rev. Scot Sherman
Steven Starfas
Paul Trudeau
Drew Yamamoto
Lent Devotional |
