Daily Lenten Devotions for Individuals and Families

From the Open Files of:

NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center, (715) 833-1153

Contributed by:

Rev. Dr. Loretta Kuse and Dr. Hildegard Kuse, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Medford, WI; Photographs by Loretta Kuse

Suggested Bible readings, a thought and prayer for the day, and in some cases activities to be done with children and youth and the family may be selected for each day in Lent by clicking on the appropriate calendar date.
To link to this calendar, paste this URL to your webpage: http://synodresourcecenter.org/pg/holiday_activities/lent/0007/2004Lentencalendarbh.html

Lent - Easter

Ash Wednesday, February 25 - Easter, April 11, 2004

February 2004

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March 2004
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April 2004

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The first mention of a period of forty days of fasting and preparation, which probably meant the time we now call Lent, was made in the Canons of Nicaea in A.D. 325. The custom may have started because persons joining the church were usually baptized during the Vigil of Easter. They prepared for this sacrament by fasting.

The idea of having forty days may stem from the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness. Yet, the number of days included in Lent varied throughout the church. What was eaten and when people could eat also varied throughout the centuries.

Today, during Lent, some choose to abstain from festivities, spend time in worship and meditation and give of their resources to help others. They think about the suffering of our Lord, his death, and his resurrection.

The forty days begin on Ash Wednesday and end on the Vigil of Easter. Sundays are not included in the forty-day count. On Sundays worshipers celebrate our Lord's resurrection.

The word "Lent" is related to the Middle English word "lenten" and the Anglo Saxon word "lencten" which mean spring and from lang, which means long and refers to the lengthening of the days in spring in the northern hemisphere. German people call this liturgical season "Fastenzeit" or time for fasting.

This web site was prepared in calendar format so that you may use one day at a time for your devotions or as a set of suggestions for personal or family activities. The suggested "Things to Do" can be tried on any day that best fits into your schedule. Please note that the readings for each Sunday are those on which the devotions for the following week are based.

Usage Policy

Resources on this web site may be used for devotional or educational purposes. They may be copied or duplicated for your use but may not be published for profit in other formats or publications without the permission of the copyright holders.

© Rev. Dr. Loretta Kuse and Dr. Hildegard Kuse
© Photography by Rev. Dr. Loretta Kuse
Bible verses taken from the New Revised Standard Version

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NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center