Lent Guide 2025

The word Lent comes from the Old English word lencten, which means ‘spring’, the season in which Lent takes place in the northern hemisphere. Around the 4th century, the early church decided to mark Easter with an annual celebration in the spring and to precede it with a 40 day period of reflection, fasting, and prayer - a practice which many Christians have continued to this day.

Our theme for Lent this year is lament. Lament comes from the Latin lamentari, meaning ‘to wail or mourn.’ Lament is the wailing of the heart before a God who hears, who listens, and who responds to our cries. Lament is an opportunity to cry out to God about the ways in which the world is not as it should be. For Christians, we find words for our lamenting in the psalms (almost half of the psalms can be categorised as laments). 

Below is a guide to help you lament in Lent. For each week, there is a video produced by Open Doors sharing the story of a persecuted Christian (warning: not for young children). There is also a Psalm to reflect on, reflection questions and a family-friendly activity.

We also have a playlist to help you walk the journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, available here.

week 1: March 10-15

Scripture for reflection: Psalm 6
Consider: Do you ever feel like you have to pretend everything is going well in your life when you come to church? How would you define lament, and what is your perspective on it?
Family-friendly Lent activity: Use ash to make the sign of the cross on your forehead or hand.

“To cry is human, but to lament is Christian.”
- Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Mark Vroegop)

week 2: March 17-22

Scripture for reflection: Psalm 130
Consider: Think of a time when you found it hard to pray because you were suffering. What role can others play in reminding us that God is still present and wants us to turn to Him in our pain?
Family-friendly Lent activity: Deliver a card or a bouquet of flowers to someone who has lost a loved one this past year, and pray for them specifically this week.

“Through the tears, the first step is to turn to God in prayer.”
- Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Mark Vroegop)

week 3: March 24-29

Scripture for reflection: Psalm 44
Consider: What are some reasons Christians are reluctant to voice their complaints to God in prayer? How is complaining the right way spiritually helpful?
Family-friendly Lent activity: Make a crown of ‘thorns’ by twisting together branches from the garden.

“Before you start complaining, be sure you’ve checked arrogance at the door. Come with your pain, not your pride.”
- Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Mark Vroegop)

week 4: March 31 - april 5

week 5: april 7-12