Lent is the period on the liturgical calendar leading up to Resurrection Sunday. New converts in the early church went through a preparation period of two to three days prior to their baptism on Resurrection Sunday. Over time, the length of that period increased. By the fourth century, a period of forty days was selected by the Church, modeling it after the time Jesus spent in the wilderness following his baptism. The spiritual disciplines of fasting, prayer, and reflection were recommended to all Christians as a means of preparing themselves for the Resurrection Sunday celebration.
Another phrase you may have heard at Southside is,
“We want to be liturgical without being liturgical.”
Which means that we want to encourage an intentional time of worship on the key truths and events of our faith without creating ritualistic and meaningless tradition. We want to encourage the heartfelt practice of Biblical practices and spiritual disciplines while avoiding an attitude of legalism and works righteousness. We believe that by employing the disciplines of fasting, prayer, and reflection we can be strengthened in our faith.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Each week we will publish selected Scripture passages to use in your personal time of prayer and reflection. We also have a resource on our app and website with ways in which your family can observe Lent together. Let’s prepare to proclaim in one voice that He is risen indeed!