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Lent Fasting

Anthony Ochoa

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LENT DESCRIPTION

Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter. It is a
time to turn our hearts to God through (1) prayer, (2) repentance, and (3) spiritual renewal.

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We fast not to earn God's favor, but to remind ourselves that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It is an intentional submitting our bodies and souls to God, who alone can satisfy us.

START

Ash Wednesday (2.18.26)

END

The Saturday before Easter, Holy Saturday (4.4.26)

LENGTH OF LENT

40 total days of fasting
46 calendar days (because Sundays are not fast days)

WHAT WILL OUR ASH WEDNESDAY BE LIKE?

Road To The Cross_GCC Main.jpg

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

Wednesday, February 18, 6:30 pm

Our goal is to start this holy season with a somber service. There will be worship, teaching, and many interactive elements including communal prayer, Scripture reading, and other interactive elements.

HOW TO FAST (TRADITIONAL PRACTICE)

For centuries, Christians have fasted during Lent by limiting their food intake. The most common method today follows this structure:
 

  • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are special days of fasting. On only Ash
    Wednesday and Good Friday:

    • Eat only one full meal for the day.

    • You may also eat two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal.

    • No snacking between meals.

    • No meat (fish is allowed).
       

  • All Fridays during Lent are typically days of abstinence from meat, though full meals are allowed.
     

  • Other weekdays (Mon–Sat): No required fasting, but many choose to limit or sacrifice something else as an act of devotion (caffeine/sugar/soda/processed snacks, social media, screen time, etc.).
     

  • Sundays are feast days and are never fast days.
     

  • If at any point you start to ask, “What if I’m doing it wrong?!” Stop and rememberthis is about mercy and faith, not legalistic law keeping. For example: if you want to eat meat on Fridays still, that’s okay! Enjoy and pursue hunger for God in accordance with your faith, not what you think you “have to” do.

CAN I FAST FROM SOMETHING OTHER THAN FOOD?

While food is the traditional fast, some people may need to adjust due to health concerns or may choose to add other disciplines. Again, the call is to discipline ourselves to hunger for God, not to meticulously keep every possible rule. The goal is not to make ourselves miserable but to set ourselves toward crying out to God in an intentional way.

HOW CAN I MAKE LENT MORE SIGNIFICANT

Lent is not just about fasting—it is about turning to God. Consider adding activities to your routine during this season:

  • Pray (consider using our prayer book Two of More)

  • Read Scripture (with others at times you usually do not)

  • Write in a Journal (what God is teaching you)

  • Worship (as a family or individually)

  • Serve someone else (look for needs in the community or church)

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