Lent at Resurrection

A 40-Day Journey 

a 40-day journey

“Lent” describes a special 40-day period prior to the celebration of Easter Sunday. During this time, all believers are invited to observe a special time of “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” These 40 days invite us to come to the end of ourselves, and in doing so, we find ourselves prepared to receive the endless gifts of Christ as we journey through Holy Week and into Easter.

 

Join us this Lent as we seek to deepen our walk with Jesus by digging into prayer and Scripture. We invite you to engage with our community in a variety of ways:

Lent Schedule

Event Times Dates
Sunday Services 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
Please note, there will be no livestream on Sundays, Feb 26 & Mar 5
Palm Sunday 8:30 & 11am*
*11:00 Livestreamed
Sunday, April 10

Special Opportunities

Event Times Dates
Morning Prayer 7am, Prayer Chapel Weekdays through March 22
Thursdays include a choral ensemble
Journey with Jesus through Lent Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm
sign up deadline: Feb 11
Weekly audio teaching available on Wednesdays
February 21 - March 20 (scroll down for each week's teaching)
RezFast for Holy Week 6:30pm Wednesday, March 13

Sundays During Lent

Event Times Dates
Sunday Services 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
February 18 - March 17
Sunday, February 18 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
Mark 1:9-13
Sunday, February 25 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
Mark 8:31-38
Sunday, March 3 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
John 2:13-22
Sunday, March 10 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
John 6:1-15
Sunday, March 17 8:30 & 10:30 am*
*10:30 Livestreamed
John 12:20-36
Palm Sunday 8:30 & 11am*
*11:00 Livestreamed
March 24

Every Lent, Resurrection gives a financial gift to a global partner. Our Good Friday Gift this year is focused on “Love and Care for our Global Partners.” We aim to invest in their health, relationally and spiritually, as they serve on the frontlines, sharing the Gospel and/or equipping the Church, often where there are few believers.

Journey with Jesus

Participate in our five-week prayer experience grounded in Scripture, based on our Transformation Intensive ministry and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. Pray with the Scriptures and prayer exercises on your own, with a friend, in your household, or small group using our print devotional guide or the instructions below. You can listen to each week’s audio teaching below too. 

WEEK 5

The Way to the Cross, Part 2

Jesus invites us to stay with him to the end.

Listen to the audio teaching*available on Wednesdays

00:00
00:00
  • Journey With Jesus 00:00

Questions to reflect as an individual or small group:

  • What passage of scripture did you connect with most deeply

  • What did you notice about Jesus’ humanness in these stories?

  • What surprised you as you meditated on these stories using imaginative prayer?

  • If you imagined Jesus looking at you from within a story, what was that like for you?

  • If you wrote out your imaginative prayer experience, consider reading it aloud to another person.

Introduction.

It is a great privilege to accompany someone whom we dearly love as death approaches. This week we are invited to accompany Jesus at his trial, to walk with him on the road to Golgotha, and finally, to remain with him until he takes his last breath on the cross.

This prayer by Peter Faber, SJ (1506-1546) summarizes the grace we are seeking in this upcoming week of prayer:

Jesus Christ, may your death be my life
and in your dying may I learn how to live.
May your struggles be my rest,
your human weakness my courage,
your embarrassment my honor,
your passion my delight,
your sadness my joy,
in your humiliation may I be exalted.
In a word, may I find all my
blessings in your trials.

Silence. Begin with Two Minutes of Silence.

Prayer Exercises.
Take 30 seconds to practice Looking at Jesus Looking at Me.

Praying with Scripture. Use the instructions for How to Pray Imaginatively with a Gospel Story to pray with one or more of the Bible selected passages.

Mark 8:27-33, Peter resists Jesus’ impending passion.

Mark 14:3-9, A woman anoints Jesus’ body in anticipation of his death. 

John 13:21-38, Jesus tells his disciples that he will be betrayed.

Mark 14:32-42, Jesus prays in the Garden.

Journal Prompt. Take time to write in your prayer notebook about what happened. It may be helpful to write down what you imagine as it unfolds, rather than afterward.

Silence. Close with Two Minutes of Silence.

Examen. Once during the day, pray with the Gratitude Examen.

WEEK 4

The Way to the Cross, Part 1

Jesus invites us to accompany him on the way to the cross.

Listen to the audio teaching*available on Wednesdays

00:00
00:00
  • Journey with Jesus 00:00

Questions to reflect as an individual or small group:

  • What passage of scripture did you connect most deeply

  • What did you notice about Jesus’ humanness in these stories?

  • How did you experience the other characters in the stories?

  • If you imagined Jesus looking at you from within a story, what was that like for you?

  • If you wrote down your imaginative prayer experience, consider reading it aloud to another person.

Introduction.

In a growing friendship, there comes a time when the conversation deepens and we talk more honestly about hard things in our lives.We reveal our struggles, our emotions, hurts and scars. In friendship with Jesus, it seems natural to open our hearts to him in this way. But it may not occur to us that Jesus wants to reciprocate that openness and to reveal his heart to us.

For the next two weeks you are invited to pray with the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and to allow Jesus to disclose how he experienced them. Another way of praying with scripture is introduced this week, How to Pray Imaginatively with a Gospel Story. This way of meditating on scripture takes getting used to, but many people find it helps them connect more deeply with Jesus and the disciples.

Be aware that these stories may remind you of your own life experiences. For example, you might remember a time that you were betrayed by a friend. These remembrances help you build bridges of empathy that add emotional depth and richness to imaginative prayer. The memories are a part of your prayer experience, not a distraction.

Silence. Begin with Two Minutes of Silence.

Prayer Exercises. Take 30 seconds to practice Looking at Jesus Looking at Me.

Praying with Scripture. Use the instructions for How to Pray Imaginatively with a Gospel Story to pray with one or more of the Bible selected passages. 

Mark 8:27-33, Peter resists Jesus’ impending passion.

Mark 14:3-9, A woman anoints Jesus’ body in anticipation of his death. 

John 13:21-38, Jesus tells his disciples that he will be betrayed.

Mark 14:32-42, Jesus prays in the Garden.

Journal Prompt. Take time to write in your prayer notebook about what happened. It may be helpful to write down what you imagine as it unfolds, rather than afterward.

Silence. Close with Two Minutes of Silence.

Examen. Once during the day, pray with the Gratitude Examen.

WEEK 3

The Way of Humility

Jesus invites us to imitate his humility

Listen to the audio teaching*available on Wednesdays

00:00
00:00
  • Journey With Jesus 00:00

Questions to reflect as an individual or small group:

  • What passage of scripture did you connect most deeply with and why?
  • How did the Two Minutes of Silence go for you?
  • How did the Looking at Jesus Looking at Me prayer practice go for you?
  • Talk about an experience you’ve had with temptation to pride.
  • Talk about a meaningful experience that you’ve had related to humility.

Introduction.

The call to spiritual poverty is universal for followers of Jesus. We are called to acknowledge our creaturely limitations joyfully and to depend on God in true humility, knowing that all our mental, physical, and spiritual powers are gifts from God. But our sinful hearts, the world, and the devil, urge us in the opposite direction. We are tempted toward a forgetfulness of God, autonomy, self-sufficiency, and independence. We are tempted to seize personal power, security, and prestige for ourselves without reference to God.

Jesus shows us a better way. He models a life of dependence on his Father and the Holy Spirit. In the wilderness he overcomes the very temptations that dog us. In the Sermon on the Mount, he unpacks what it means to walk the way of humility. And by his passion and death he demonstrates that humility has power to overcome all the powers of evil and death.

This week is designed to help you discern the various voices that are influencing you, either toward greater humility and dependence on God, or toward pride and self-reliance. As you pray with the scriptures, invite the Holy Spirit to help you reflect on your life. Notice the ways that you are tempted by pride and the ways that Jesus is inviting you toward greater humility.

Silence. Begin with Two Minutes of Silence.

Prayer Exercise. Take 30 seconds to practice “Looking at Jesus Looking at Me”.

Praying with Scripture

Matthew 5:2-11, The Beatitudes.

Matthew 6:19-24, You cannot serve two masters.

I Peter 5:5-11, Clothe yourselves with humility.

James 4:1-10, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Mark 10:35-45, It shall not be so among you.

Journal Prompt. Take time to write in your prayer notebook about what happened. 

Close with Two Minutes of Silence.

Examen. Once during the day, pray with the Gratitude Examen.

WEEK 2

The Way of Surrender

Entrusting our desires to God brings freedom.

Listen to the audio teaching*Note this teaching was interrupted by a tornado shelter-in-place warning. We apologize for the incomplete audio recording.

00:00
00:00
  • Journey With Jesus 00:00

Questions to reflect as an individual or small group:

  • What passage of scripture did you connect most deeply with and why?
  • How did the two minutes of silence go for you?
  • How did the Looking at Jesus Looking at Me prayer practice go for you?
  • What desires in your life pull you away from the love of God?
  • To what might you be clinging too tightly, even good things? 
  • Did you pray for the grace of holy indifference? If so, what was that like for you?

Introduction.

Strong relationships are built on trust and a readiness to endure hardship. The commitment to stick with someone “for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” is critical to the longevity of a marriage; following Jesus requires a similar commitment. Jesus asks us to hold our desires for the good life loosely, trusting that his love will be enough for us. Ignatius calls this attitude a “holy indifference.” It doesn’t mean not caring or hoping or dreaming, rather it means entrusting everything to God’s wisdom and care. Trusting that “I will be okay even if I don’t get what I want.” It means opening our hands to receive what we ask for in the Lord’s prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

This week of prayer offers you the opportunity to reflect on where you are by way of trusting God with all that is dear to you. The scripture passages help us reflect on two people in the Bible who trusted God, Job and Saint Paul, and one man who struggled to trust, the rich young ruler. As you pray with these scriptures, allow them to be mirrors that help you see what is in your own heart: When have you trusted God in the past? How are you trusting him now? In what ways are you afraid or unwilling to trust God? Have some honest conversations with God and ask for the grace of holy indifference toward the things that are hardest for you to surrender into God’s loving care.

Silence. Begin with Two Minutes of Silence.

Prayer Exercise.Try the new prayer practice for this week: Looking at Jesus Looking at Me. Once you get the hang of it, it should take less than a minute.

Praying with Scripture. As you pray, pay attention to remembrances from your life that might pop up. For example, the phrase, “redeems your life from the pit,” might put you in mind of how the Lord helped you through a hard time. Make note of that memory in your notebook.

Job 1:20-22, The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away.

Philippians 3:7-14, I count everything as loss.

Phil 4:11-13, I have learned to be content.

2 Cor 12:7-10, My grace is sufficient for you.

Matthew 19:16-22, The Rich Young Ruler

Journal Prompt. Take time to write in your prayer notebook about what happened. Try writing your prayer as a letter to Jesus.

Close with Two Minutes of Silence.

Examen. Once during the day, pray with the Gratitude Examen.

WEEK 1

The Way of Gratitude

Gratitude is the foundation of the spiritual life.

Listen to the audio teaching*available on Wednesdays

00:00
00:00
  • Journey With Jesus 00:00

Questions to reflect as an individual or small group:

  • What passage of scripture did you connect most deeply with and why?
  • Talk about a memory that came to mind this week that you hadn’t thought about in years.
  • How did the two minutes of silence go for you?
  • Generally speaking, how has cultivating gratitude impacted you this week?

Introduction. Intentionally cultivating a practice of gratitude is a wonderful way to begin the journey of Lent because it is the foundation of our relationship with God. Gratitude orients one’s whole mindset and sense of identity around what is real, solid and true about God, one’s self, and our shared identity as the people of God. 

This week’s prayer goal is to establish a habit of gratitude to increase your awareness that everything you have, even the air you breathe, is a gift from God. This habit is like a chiropractic adjustment for the soul that releases you from the illusion that everything that happens in your life depends on you.

You can ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow in gratitude. Ignatius Loyola suggests that you pray for “An interior knowledge of all the good I have received, so that by acknowledging this with gratitude, I may be able to love and serve God in everything, holding nothing back.”

Silence. Begin with Two Minutes of Silence.

Praying with Scripture. As you pray, pay attention to remembrances from your life that might pop up. For example, the phrase, “redeems your life from the pit,” might put you in mind of how the Lord helped you through a hard time. Make note of that memory in your notebook.

Psalm 103:1-5, Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Psalm 100:1-5, We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 107:1-9, Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

Luke 17:11-19, The one who returned to give thanks.

Philippians 4:4-9, With thanksgiving let your requests be made known.

Journal Prompt. Take time to write in your prayer notebook about what happened. Try writing out your response to God as a prayer of thanksgiving.

Close with Two Minutes of Silence.

Examen. Once during the day, pray with the Gratitude Examen.

For contemplation

Lenten Art

Resurrection artists Michael Skura and Lindsey Bergsma collaborated to each paint depictions of
Jesus in the Wilderness for us to contemplate this Lent.

Additional Resources

What is Lent?

Father Trevor, a priest in our diocese who pastors City of Light Anglican in Aurora, IL, created this wonderful podcast episode introducing the season of Lent. He addresses the questions: 

  • What is Lent?
  • Why should I practice it?
  • Where did it come from?
  • How do I decide what to do during Lent?
  • How do I fast?
  • How do I pray?

Copyright 2024 // Church of the Resurrection

Introduction

Lent is a time to reflect on our lives and to take stock of the things that draw us toward God or away from God. This journey begins on Ash Wednesday with these sobering words: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Repent and believe the Gospel.” The following 40 days are meant to help us repent; to turn the whole orientation of our lives toward God. The word repentance is a bit scary for some people and can evoke feelings of inadequacy and shame. But biblical repentance is a supremely joyful thing. It is turning toward God, the fount and source of life and love, and away from all our inadequate substitutes for God.

The prayerful work of Lent prepares us for Holy Week, the annual remembrance of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. This season gives us space to cultivate greater openness to God, especially through prayer and self-reflection.

This Lenten devotional draws from the Transformation Intensive, a nine-month course of spiritual formation based on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. We begin by building a foundation of gratitude, which is the easiest, most joyful way to repent. In the next part we focus on two virtues that Jesus models throughout his ministry: surrender to God and humility. In the final part, we focus on the last week of Jesus’ life, his passion, and death. This journey is designed to help you build deep and personal connections with Jesus that will enrich your experience of Holy Week and permeate all aspects of your life.

This guide is organized into five sections corresponding to the five weeks of Lent. Each section includes short scripture passages, arranged thematically, that you can pray with using the instructions provided. Other optional prayer exercises are designed to bring you into an experience of deeper prayer and connection with God. Plan on spending about 30 minutes a day, five days a week, doing the prayer exercises, plus a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect using a practice called the Gratitude Examen. You will keep track of what happens while you pray by keeping a prayer notebook. Finally, you are encouraged to talk to a friend or small group about what happens in your prayer times to deepen and solidify your experience and growth.

May God give you grace to pray with expectation and joy this Lent!

-Deacon Valerie McIntyre

“Seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

-Deuteronomy 4:29

How to get started:

Place. Designate a place in your home where you will pray. Choose a place that is comfortable and private so that you can read, write and pray with minimal distractions. Gather a Bible, a notebook to write in, something to write with, this booklet, and a way to keep the time. Some people also find it helpful to light a candle while they are praying. Finally, talk to your family or roommates about your plans for when and where you will pray and ask them to support your efforts to set the time and space aside.

Time. The regular pattern for your 30-minute prayer times is as follows:

Silence. Begin each prayer time with Two Minutes of Silence (2 minutes).

Praying with Scripture and other prayer exercises. Use the instructions for Praying with Scripture to pray each day with one of the Bible passages assigned for this week, and other noted prayer practices (15-20 minutes).

Journal Prompt. Write in your notebook about what happened during your prayer with scripture and other exercises (5-7 minutes).

Silence. Close each prayer time with Two Minutes of Silence (2 minutes).

Examen. Reflect at the end of your day using the Gratitude Examen. 

Questions to reflect on. Use the provided questions for each week to reflect on as an individual or in your small group.

Weekly sharing. If you are meeting with a prayer partner or small group to talk about what is happening in your prayer, consider using one of your prayer periods each week to review what you have written in your notebook and to select a nugget or two that you would like to share.

Prayer Practices

Praying with Scripture (for individuals)

Praying with Scripture is a way of letting God speak personally to each person through the words of the Bible. Though it can include studying the text, the main idea is to let the words of the text spark a conversation between you and God. 

Begin with prayer. Settle your body into the space where you are praying. Recall the fact that you are in the presence of the living Word. Welcome the Holy Spirit to help you pray.

Read slowly and carefully. To distinguish this way of engaging the text from other kinds of reading, try moving your lips or softly reading the selected passage aloud.

Put the Bible aside. From memory write down words or phrases that stay with you. If needed, glance at the text or read it again, then jot down what most impresses you.

Connect personally with the words or phrases you have selected. Perhaps you find yourself reminiscing about something from your past, or the text speaks to something you are concerned about in your life right now. Notice where your thoughts take you as you ponder this text and make note of them.

Turn your pondering into a prayer. Consciously gather up your thoughts and turn your attention toward God. Tell God what you thought about and what you felt during this time. Let yourself feel those emotions in God’s presence, even if the emotions are negative. Is there something that you want to give to God? Is there something that you want from God? Is there something that God seems to be communicating to you?

Write it down. Capture anything that seems important from this prayer period. Write in the way that is easiest for you—bullet points, full sentences, or even drawings.

Notes: You may want to spend more than one prayer period on a passage of Scripture that is especially meaningful. Stay with it and savor it until you are completely satisfied. Also pay attention to boredom, irritation, or a sense of aridity concerning a passage of Scripture. Such reactions might signal that the passage is touching something that you would prefer to avoid. Be patient with yourself and ask God for insight and a soft heart. 

Two Minutes of Silence


Observing a short period of silence is a simple but powerful way to begin a time of prayer. It allows you to calm your body and open your heart to the presence of God, who is always with you. During the 30 minutes that you set aside for prayer, begin and end each session with two minutes of silence. 

Start a timer, take a few deep breaths, and settle into the physical place where you are praying. Then, with your eyes open or closed, choose a simple phrase to serve as your prayer for the next two minutes; for example, . Abba Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus, be with me, here I am. With the rhythm of your breath, speak your prayer directly to God.

When you are finished with the two minutes of silence, move on to the other appointed prayer practices. When your time of prayer is finished, conclude with another two minutes of silence.

Keeping a Prayer Notebook


Write it down! Record your spiritual experiences in such a way that they can be appropriated and used for lasting spiritual growth. Just as a photo can take you back to an important life experience, revisiting a journal entry helps you remember and treasure what has happened in your life of prayer. 

Your prayer notebook is a place to write your prayers, responses, and ideas. Writing helps you stay focused during the time you set aside for prayer. Don’t fret over style;  prose, bullet points, drawings, and sketches are all good ways to capture what happens. 

If you are participating with a group for this Lenten prayer journey, take some time to review your entries for the week. Pick out one or two nuggets that you would like to share with your group.

Gratitude Examen


Presence. Relax and take a few deep breaths.  Imagine Jesus is with you wherever you are praying. 

Gratitude. Looking back on the day, name a few things for which you are grateful; nothing is too big or too small.

Review the day with gratitude. Remember what you saw, heard, smelled, tasted, or felt over the course of the day. Recall faces of people who crossed paths with you today. Notice any details of conversations or interactions that present themselves in your review. “Holy Spirit, I welcome you into my recollections of this day. I want to recognize God’s love and generosity toward me.” 

Notice your ingratitude. Remember the frustrations you felt with the practical stuff of your daily life. What are the blessings in your life that you take for granted? Are you aware of anyone in your life that you failed to appreciate today? “Lord, I want to notice any ingratitude I have in relation to you and other people. I give you permission to show me the ways I’ve been ungrateful.” 

Express your regret to God. “Forgive me for all the ways, large and small, that I have been ungrateful today. Thank you, Lord God, for the gift of my life.”

Receive. Rest in God’s forgiveness and love for you.

Focus forward. Call to mind what awaits you tomorrow and ask for God’s help. Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer.

Looking at Jesus Looking at Me


The seventeenth-century French Carmelite monk, Brother Lawrence, made popular a way of prayer he called “Practicing the Presence of God.” He advised people to continually turn their attention toward God as a way of mental prayer.

Ignatius of Loyola adds another layer to this way of prayer. He recommends taking about 30 seconds at the beginning of a prayer period to do two things. First, imagine that Jesus is looking at you with love. Like suddenly becoming aware that someone who loves you deeply, a parent, a child, a friend, a lover, or even a beloved pet, is looking at you with affection, noticing you before you notice them. Second, respond to Jesus’ attention with a simple prayer such as “Thank you, Jesus, for seeing me,” or use your body to acknowledge that Jesus sees you, just as you are, in that moment: bow your head, kneel or stand briefly, or make the sign of the cross.

How to Pray Imaginatively with a Gospel Story. 

Familiarize yourself with the story by reading it a few times very slowly.

Using your imagination, paint a still-life picture in your mind of what the setting might have looked like: the time of day, indoors or out, the placement of the characters in the story, and so forth. Then place yourself in the scene, like Rembrandt did in his paintings.

Then, imagine the story like a play as the characters move around on the set and interact with one another. As before, place yourself in the scene as one of the characters or as your present day self.

Finally, imagine the emotional and relational dynamics in the story. How do each of the characters feel? How do you feel as a participant in the story? Is there something you want to say to Jesus?

Some people are helped by writing down the whole story as it unfolds in their imaginations, like a creative writing exercise, or writing a scene for a play.

Praying with Scripture (for groups)

Praying with Scripture is a way of letting God speak personally to each person in a group through the words of the Bible. Though it can include studying the text, the main idea is to let the words of the text spark a conversation between the members of your group and God. 

Begin with prayer. Remind everyone that you are all in the presence of the living Word. Lead in an opening prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to be present and active as you listen to God together.’

Read slowly and carefully. Ask a group member to read aloud the selected scripture. 

Put the Bible aside. Ask group members to write down words or phrases that stay with them from memory. If needed, invite them to glance at the text or have someone read it aloud again, then ask everyone to jot down what most impresses them.

Connect personally with the words or phrases jotted down. Invite everyone to notice what comes to mind  as they ponder the text. Then, turn to your neighbor and share which words/phrases stood out to you.

Turn pondering into a prayer. Invite everyone to turn their thoughts and attention toward God. Ask them silently or in writing individually to, “Tell God what you thought about and what you felt during this time. Let yourself feel those emotions in God’s presence, even if the emotions are negative. Is there something that you want to give to God? Is there something that you want from God? Is there something that God seems to be communicating to you?” Take three to five minutes to allow members time to do this on their own. Share with the group or with your neighbor what you believe the Lord is saying to you. 

Write it down. Ask members to stop and capture anything that seems important from this prayer period. Write in the way that is easiest–bullet points, full sentences, or even drawings.

Go Deeper

Explore more of the prayer practices introduced in this Lenten devotional with these books and resources:

Digital resources

Pray-as-you-Go. A 10 minute, daily pod-cast style resource based on Scripture. Available as an app or from their website, pray-as-you-go.org.

Re-examining the Examen. An app offering a 30-day rotation of various forms of the prayer of Examen.

Books

Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey, Sharon Garlough Brown, IVP Books, 2013.

Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Praying with Scripture, Gallagher, Timothy, The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2008.

God’s Voice Within: The Ignatian Way to Discover God’s Will. Mark Thibodeaux, Loyola Press, 2010.

Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel, James Wilder, et all, Shepherd’s House, 2015.