“Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
These words, spoken on Ash Wednesday, open the season of Lent with a solemn reminder. Your life is finite. In a culture that often avoids the topic of death, Lent gently insists you pay attention to it, not to frighten you, but to prepare you.
The meaning of Lent reaches beyond personal sacrifice. It is a sacred time to explore the deeper questions of life, questions about purpose, suffering, and what it means to live well in the time you have. As you journey through prayer, fasting, and reflection, Lent offers a powerful opportunity to confront your limitations, rediscover your faith, and live with greater clarity, humility, and hope.
For centuries, this sacred season has invited believers to enter into a time of prayer, fasting, and reflection, drawing closer to God while turning away from the distractions of daily life. Lent is not simply about spiritual discipline; it is about preparing the heart to face the reality of human limitations and the promise of a new life. In this article, you’ll explore how Lent encourages you to reflect on mortality, not to dwell in fear but to live with a deeper purpose, greater clarity, and renewed hope.
What Is the Meaning of Lent? A Season of Preparation
Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving observed in many Christian traditions leading up to Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday evening, just before the Easter Triduum. Sundays aren’t counted in the 40 days, as they are considered mini-celebrations of the Resurrection.
The meaning of Lent is rooted in the example of Jesus, who fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry. Historically, Lent was a time when new believers prepared for baptism and public penitents were restored to the Church. Today, it’s a call for all believers to renew their hearts and realign their lives with the gospel.
What Lent Teaches You About Life and Death
Lent brings an honest reminder that life on earth is not endless. The ashes of Ash Wednesday symbolize this truth and call you to return to God with a humble and open heart. Recognizing that life is finite is not meant to create fear—it is meant to reawaken gratitude and encourage spiritual focus.
The Bible often speaks about the brevity of life. Psalm 103:15–16 says, “The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”
Similarly, James 4:14 asks, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Lent echoes these truths, not to instill despair, but to stir your heart toward what lasts. It is a season that invites you to let go of distractions and ask life-transforming questions. Lent will make you ponder about living with intent, your position with God, and your disposition toward other living beings. Lent doesn’t push these questions out of guilt, it brings them into view out of love.
Lent as a Response to Mortality
In the face of loss, Lent becomes a space to acknowledge pain and search for peace. Many people carry quiet grief over lost loved ones, missed opportunities, or life not turning out as expected. Lent gives you permission to name those sorrows and bring them to God.
As you walk through the season, you may begin to notice how time moves differently. Ordinary routines feel heavier, and spiritual practices gain new meaning. You are not asked to rush past your struggles. Instead, you are invited to sit with them, to pray through them, and to let God meet you in silence.
Mortality and the Hope of Resurrection
Lent prepares your heart for Easter by gently guiding you through the valley before the victory. The season does not end in darkness, it moves toward resurrection. The hope of Christianity is not that life will be free of pain but that pain does not have the final word, and that is the true meaning of Lent.
Lent is not just introspective but transformative. As you walk through sorrow, sacrifice, and self-reflection, you are also preparing your soul to receive joy. The Lenten journey is one of deepening trust: that God is present in suffering, that Christ has overcome the grave, and that eternal life is promised to those who believe.
Letting Mortality Shape Your Priorities
When you remember that your time is limited, small things begin to fall away. The endless to-do lists, the pressure to prove yourself, and the minor annoyances no longer seem so urgent. Lent helps you step back and ask, “What really matters?”
You may be inspired to reach out to someone you’ve grown distant from. You might be reminded to speak words of kindness more often. And you may decide to spend less time accumulating and more time giving. Lent encourages you to live not just efficiently but also meaningfully.
Psalm 90:12 captures this shift beautifully: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Such wisdom doesn’t come from fear. It comes from reflection, humility, and a desire to live well.
Lent as a Practice of Humble Clarity
Modern life rewards busyness and distraction. Lent offers the opposite. It slows you down, quiets your mind, and clears space for clarity. And your newfound clarity shows you how many things you cling to.
You notice your preference for earthly comforts, routines, and distractions. You realize that they serve only to keep you away from asking spiritually significant questions. And stepping away from them, even temporarily, gives you room to consider who you are becoming. You ask yourself what you are building, how you are spending your time, and if you are making peace with your limitations or running from them.
Lent doesn’t demand dramatic change. It invites you to pause long enough to see your life honestly and to ask how you might walk more closely with God.
Facing Death Without Fear
Death often provokes anxiety, but the Christian faith offers a different perspective. Lent reminds you that while you are made of dust, you are also deeply loved. Your life finds meaning not solely because of your achievements but because God created you for eternity.
Even Jesus faced death. He wept at the tomb of His friend. He sweats blood in the garden. But He also conquered death, and in doing so, gave hope to every person who follows Him.
That’s why Lent prepares your heart for the promise of Easter. It does not leave you in the grave. It leads you toward the empty tomb.
Practical Ways to Reflect During Lent
If you want to dive deeper into your spiritual existence this Lent, here are 5 ways to let the season shape your soul:
- Pray with Scripture that speaks to life, death, and hope.
- Reach out to your loved ones, be it the living or dearly departed ones. Connect with them and find your faith.
- Visit a place of silence. Go to a cemetery or a chapel, and ask, “What really matters?”
- Create a simple nightly reflection. Ask yourself, “Where did I feel close to God today? Where did I miss the mark? Am I living with intention?”
- You don’t need grand gestures. Lent is about small, sincere steps toward the life God calls you to live.
What Lent Isn’t
Lent isn’t about proving your worth. It’s not a diet plan or a punishment. It’s not about impressing others with your spiritual performance.
Lent is a gift. A sacred time to return to God, to acknowledge your limits, and to embrace your faith with new depth. The meaning of Lent lies in transformation, not performance.
Living Lent with Eternity in Mind
If you let it, Lent can be a lens that changes how you see everything. It won’t make life easier, but it will make it richer. You’ll begin to see that mortality isn’t the end of the story; it’s a turning point. A reminder that life is precious. A call to live it well.
Jesus didn’t avoid death. He faced it, endured it, and then overcame it. That is the heart of the gospel. And that is the hope Lent prepares you to receive.
Bakerview Memorial Cemetery. Explore Your Spiritual Path.
Bakerview Memorial Cemetery is designed to help visitors reflect and express themselves with privacy, comfort, and safety. During Lent, a season of soul-searching, remembrance, and preparation, this quiet space offers the opportunity to pause and consider your own legacy. Whether you are visiting a loved one, making early arrangements, or simply seeking stillness, Bakerview provides a peaceful environment rooted in respect, care, and spiritual openness.
So, if you plan to visit a cemetery in the lower mainland this sacred month of Lent, come see us. Give us a call at (604) 227-3548 and get a tour of the grounds.
Conclusion
The meaning of Lent is not hidden in ancient rituals or abstract theology. It’s found in the quiet moments of reflection when you remember that life is short but love is eternal. When you let the ashes remind you that you are dust and that God can breathe life even into dust.
If you reflect honestly, forgive freely, and live each day with eternity in mind, you’ll discover what Lent has always been about: not fear of death but the courage to live fully, faithfully, and with hope.
Published: March 28, 2025
