LENT & EASTER

Events

Walk Through Lent with Intention and Practice

As we prepare our hearts and minds for the season of Lent, we invite you to embark on a journey of reflection, discipline, and spiritual growth. Lent offers us an opportunity to step back from the busyness of life and draw closer to God through intentional practices and meaningful fasting. This year, we offer suggestions to guide your Lenten journey — a blend of communal worship, personal devotion, and acts of love and care.

Suggested Practices:

  • Attend Sunday Worship in person every week. Make weekly worship a cornerstone of your Lenten practice, gathering with the community to receive grace and reflect on Christ’s journey.
  • Watch Dean Kate’s Morning Devotion each day — Begin your day with prayer and reflection, drawing inspiration from Dean Kate’s daily messages.
  • Attend the Dean’s Forum in Lent: "The Chosen: Becoming Disciples"  (Sundays at 9 a.m.) —Jesus arrives in Jerusalem. With his disciples, we share this emotional time through his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Clergy will walk us through the scriptures, and we will watch and discuss clips of Season 5 of The Chosen. 
  • Attend the Wednesday Healing Service at 12:10 p.m. — Come for prayer and anointing, seeking God’s healing presence.
  • Participate in the Praying with Jesus (Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.) — Dean Kate and clergy invite you to come find out how simple, comforting, and necessary prayer can be, now more than ever. In the Library above Taliaferro, closing with Compline. At 6:30pm, a simple meal of soup, salad & bread is served in Taliaferro.
  • Read the Bible daily — Commit to spending time with Scripture each day, letting God’s word shape and guide you.
  • Sit in silence every day for a defined period — Create space for stillness and listening, allowing the Spirit to speak in the quiet.
  • Walk outside daily — Connect with God’s creation through a daily walk, cultivating mindfulness and gratitude.
  • Call someone you love every day — Reach out in love and connection, strengthening the bonds of relationship.
  • Write a love letter daily — Express love and encouragement through the written word.
  • Buy groceries for St. Mary’s when you shop for yourself — Practice generosity by sharing food with our neighbors in need.

Create Your Own Lenten Fast:

Lent is also a time to simplify and focus by letting go of distractions and excess. Consider adopting a fast that brings greater awareness and intention to your daily life:

  • Plastic Fast: Refrain from purchasing single-use plastic bottles, straws, and bags, caring for God’s creation.
  • Purchasing Fast: Avoid shopping from large corporations like Walmart, Target, and Amazon — choose local and ethical alternatives like the St. John’s Cathedral Bookstore & Gift Shop!
  • Cellular Fast: Avoid social media or limit screen time to create more space for presence and reflection.
  • Food Fast: Eat only locally sourced produce, supporting local farmers and mindful consumption.

As you shape your Lenten practices and fast, consider how each choice draws you closer to God and opens your heart to transformation. May this season be one of deepened faith, restored hope, and renewed love.

Come, walk through Lent with intention — and find the grace that awaits on the journey.