Self-denial and spiritual warfare. Lent is boot camp for the Christian life. Ash Wednesday gave us direction for training in self-denial and seeking heavenly treasure with its three disciplines: fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. Invocavit (Lent 1) gives us our marching orders: wield God’s Word, resist temptation, and follow our Lord as He fights against Satan.

Then notice how the rest of Lent continues to train us and encourage us in the fight against the demons, against our fleshly appetites and doubts, and against the glory of the world. The Canaanite woman of Reminiscere (Lent 2) is locked with the Lord in a wrestling match of faith and doubt. Jesus battles against the demons and the pride of their human counterparts on Oculi (Lent 3), as well as teaching where true blessedness is found (once again, no earthly ties, but heavenly treasure). Then Laetare, Rejoice! (Lent 4). A respite is given before the last big push to the cross. But even as He provides for earthly needs, Christ does not appease the cravings of men for earthly bread or earthly glory.

Conflict and repose—this is the pattern for Lent, and for the whole Christian life. Again and again, Lent prepares us for conflict with the pride of the devil, the vanity of the world, and the passions of the flesh. And Lent’s training primarily schools us in the practice of self-control, self-denial, while magnifying the Word of God in our hearts and minds. Lent is a time for the Catechism, a time for prayer. The best strategy against Satan and all his horde is instruction and meditation in God’s Word. Not only does the Lord teach, discipline, and exercise us (and exorcise us) through His Word, but through the same Word He gives rest, food, drink, and peace. How it goes with Christ is how it goes with Christians. We follow His same pattern of fighting the demons and finding restoration by the Father’s Word and Spirit; suffering and vindication, warfare and peace, death and resurrection.

Below is a sonnet for the First Sunday in Lent by Samuel John Stone

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred… Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.
St. Matt. iv. 1, 2, 11

Fasting and prayer: then conflict: then repose.
Alone, and like the seer, through forty days
A greater than Elias fasts and prays.
Nor now of all His friends is one who knows
Or shares His bitter need: of all His foes
Not one is missed, for all are here in one:
Here the Arch-fiend, and here the Incarnate Son;
And in their strife all human issues close!
Lust of the Flesh, lust of the Eyes, Life’s pride—
Each weapon that o’erwhelmed the primal world—
’Gainst Him in vain, and thrice in vain, are hurled.
Then lo, He rests with Angels at His side.
So wars and rests His Church. In Him she goes
Through fasting, prayer, and conflict to repose.

From Sonnets of the Sacred Year by Samuel John Stone, p.50