The observances of the Lenten period beginning on Ash Wednesday deepen our relationship with God through enactment of the suffering of Christ. We have scripture to guide us and prepare us mentally, physically, and spiritually.Joel 2, verses 12 to 18 refers to the “fasting, weeping, and mourning” that characterizes Lent. The fasting puts us in touch on a deeper level with the suffering of Christ. Yet we are immediately warned not to allow the sacred re-enactment to become an empty ritual. We are advised, “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” The outer expression of our mourning is unimportant and can even become egotistical if we do not simultaneously rend our hearts. Lent is our opportunity to ready ourselves to receive the mercy of God. We are ready when, and only when, we become willing to repent.

There is also power in the collective fasting that characterizes Lent. Although Jesus’s time in the desert was an intense period of isolation, we require the spiritual solace and power of the community. In Joel we learn the importance of “gathering the people” and of “notifying the congregation,” for a collective remembrance of our past, our present bonds, and our commitments to the future. When we repent as a people, we prepare ourselves to receive the full mercy—the “pity” and compassion—of the Holy Spirit. Together we ready ourselves and become strong spiritually so that we may receive the power of God’s mercy.

The same lessons of Ash Wednesday are echoed throughout...

In 2 Corinthians, Paul reiterates the importance of communal worship during this time, as he calls upon us as “brothers and sisters...ambassadors for Christ.” Here we are asked to proclaim God’s Word, to evangelize in the name of Christ. Being an ambassador for Christ is a powerful responsibility, and one we can bear together as a community. Like Joel, Paul uses language that stresses the power of “we.” We are in this together, and together we can “be reconciled to God.”
God gave us the miracle of Christ so that we could know Him, and therefore we reflect deeply and truthfully on how we can work together to return to God’s grace. Christ assumed for us the sins of humanity so that we can reflect on this moment and use it as an opportunity for total transformation. We “work together...not to receive the grace of God in vain,” but to receive it fully prepared for the Day of Judgment. The period of Lent is the “acceptable time,” a time where salvation becomes most possible and most likely through our collective worship. Lent is therefore a powerful opportunity to initiate a new relationship between God and humanity.

We must always remember to be open and receptive to God’s love, and fasting can help us achieve that mental and spiritual state of receptivity. Fasting refers to emptiness: not just the superficial emptiness of our mouths and bodies but to a mournful, spiritual emptiness that turns us into vessels for…