2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 34 – One Last Stop

When I take a long road trip, I like to stop for gas before I finish, giving me enough to ‘get through to the end’ without stopping for gas again. That’s how I feel today. Today is our last Saturday ‘stop’ before the final push of Great Lent.

The final Saturday of Great Lent the Church commemorates the Akathist Hymn, the hymn that reminds us of God’s protection through the All Holy Mother of God, our Panagia. For me today is like that final stop before the final push, the last hour of a road trip.

With the protection of Panagia and Christ, I know that I can make it through to the end. I might bet a bit drowsy behind the wheel after so many weeks of intense fasting, but God will help me push past the finish line.

My focus for this year’s Daily Lenten Journye has been an attempt to focus on experience rather than theology. This has been intentional to avoid the temptation to make everything about learning more theology. You can learn a lot about God and still never know Him.

The mistake of our Jewish ancestors was to forget the personal experience of God, in exchange for rules and regulations. They made God’s Temple of place of requirements rather than a place of encounter with God. We make the same mistake during Great Lent.

BRETHREN, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. – Hebrews 9.1-7

In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. – Luke 1.39-49, 56

What good will our prayer and fasting be if we forget to experience God. Elizabeth experienced God at first through the voice of His Mother, and John the Baptist ‘leaped for joy’ in the womb. We experience God every day during Great Lent. Do we leap for joy?

I encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity the Church offers you this coming week as we ‘wrap up’ Great Lent 2026. When you experience the Divine Liturgy, remember how easy it was for the Jews to miss so many centuries ago.

So, for today, get that final energy boost. Attend Divine Liturgy. Attend Holy Confession. Pray. Fast. Take care of the poor. Just make sure you have your eyes on God and not the rules. He will be the one to get over the finish line.

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