2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 15 – A Tent of Protection
When I was a much younger man I used to enjoy the outdoors. I grew up participating in the Boy Scout program and eventually as an adult leader supervised many camping trips. One thing that was always comforting to have was a good tent.
When I read today’s readings I was reminded of my youth, and one weekend in particular. There was more rain that weekend than air to breathe, but that never stopped the boy scouts from adventures. We hiked and camped in the pouring rain. Our tents were our protection.
“Sanctify the Lord Himself, and He shall be your fear. So if you trust in Him, He shall be as a sanctuary for you, and you shall not come against Him as a stumbling stone nor as a rock of disaster. But the house of Jacob lies in wait with a snare, and those in Jerusalem with a trap. Therefore many among them shall be powerless and fall, and be broken, and men who are in safety shall draw near and be conquered.” Then they who seal the law so as not to learn it themselves shall be evident. But One will say, “I shall wait for God who turned His face away from the house of Jacob, and I will trust in Him, behold, I and the children God gave me.” This will be for signs and wonders in the house of Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion. So if they should say to you, “Seek those who call from the earth and are ventriloquists, who speak from the belly,” should not a nation seek their God? Why do they seek the dead on behalf of the living? He gave the law to help them, so as not to speak such a word as this, concerning which word there are no gifts to offer with it. Thus a harsh famine will come upon you, and it shall be, when you are hungry, you will be grieved, and speak badly of your ruler and the idols. Then they shall look up to heaven above, and on the earth below, and behold, tribulation, distress, and darkness. There will be severe despair and darkness, so dark one cannot see. And the one who is in despair shall be perplexed, but only for a time. Do this first and do it quickly: O country of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, and the rest dwelling along the seacoast and parts of Judea, and the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, a people who walk in darkness, behold a great light; and you who dwell in the country of the shadow of death, upon you a light will shine. The multitude of the people, whom You brought down in Your joy, they shall also rejoice in Your presence, as those who rejoice in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoils. For the yoke lying upon them and the rod upon their neck is taken away, for the Lord broke the rod of the exactors as in the day of Midian. For every robe and garment gathered by deceit, they shall repay with money, and they shall be willing to do this, even though they were burned with fire. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called the Angel of Great Counsel, for I shall bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health by Him. Great shall be His government, and of His peace there is no end. His peace shall be upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order and establish it with righteousness and judgment, from that time forward and unto ages of ages. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. – Isaiah 8.13-9.6
Noah was a righteous man, who was perfect in his generation and well-pleasing to God. So Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt before God and filled with unrighteousness. Thus the Lord God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh corrupted their way on the earth. Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with unrighteousness through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of square timber. You shall make the ark in compartments, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. Thus you shall make the ark: three hundred cubits in length, fifty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in height. Now when you assemble the ark, you shall gradually finish it up to a cubit at the top, and set the door in its side. You shall make the ark with lower, second, and third stories. And behold, I am bringing a flood of water on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life. Whatever is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. From every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing on the earth after its kind, two of every kind, they will enter into the ark with you, male and female, to keep them alive. You shall also take for yourself all kinds of food to eat, and you shall gather it both for yourself and for them.” Thus Noah did according to all the Lord God commanded him, so he did. – Genesis 6.9-12
[Son,] You shall proclaim wisdom that discernment may obey you; for she is on the lofty summit and stands in the midst of the paths. For she sits beside the gates of princes and sings at the entrances, “You, O men, I exhort, and I utter my voice to the sons of men; understand astuteness, O simple ones, and put it in your heart, O uninstructed ones. Obey me, for I speak sacred things, and from my lips I will bring forth things that are true. For my mouth shall speak the truth, but false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; there is nothing in them crooked or twisted. All things are evident to those who understand and true to those who find knowledge. Lay hold of instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than tested gold, and choose perception rather than pure gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, and every costly thing is not worthy of her. I, wisdom, dwell with counsel, and I call upon knowledge and understanding. The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and both rudeness and arrogance, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverted ways of evil men. Counsel and safety are mine; discernment is mine, and strength is mine; by me, kings reign, and princes write of righteousness; by me, noblemen become great, and by me, monarchs have power in the land. I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find me. Riches and glory belong to me, and abundant possessions, and righteousness; it is better to enjoy my fruits than gold and precious stones, and my fruits are better than choice silver. I walk in the ways of righteousness, and I am conversant with the paths of judgment; that I may distribute substance to those who love me, and may fill their treasuries with good things. – Proverbs 8.1-21
This is what came to my mind when I read today’s passages. So long as I was inside the tent, I was dry and safe from the storm. Christ is our tent protecting us from the storms that pound our hearts during Great Lent. Our Sanctuary is more than the Church. It is Christ Himself.
Fast forward to Holy and Great Pascha when we will hear the Gospel of John declare that the God would come to earth and ‘pitch His tent’ among us. That ‘makes’ our Great Lenten Journey the time for us to get our tent ready for Him to enter and protect us from death.
We enter the third week of Great Lent today with a theme. God is coming to save us from the storms of life just as He protected Noah and his family from the flood. But first, we must do the work of preparing our souls (our tent) for Him.
Noah built the Ark. Moses set up the Tent in the wilderness. Solomon built the Temple. Christ perfected humanity for our eternal salvation. Moses’ Tent was temporary until they reached the Promised Land. Solomon’s Temple was temporary until Christ came. What’s next?
It is time to pitch our tent in Christ’s Church. The Church will protect us from the storm and keep us dry, so long as we don’t wonder outside. The Church is Christ’s Body. The Church is our Tent. Get inside and weather the storm, but not unprepared.
Pray. Fast. Care for the poor. Read your Scriptures. Participate in the Sacraments of the Church. This is how Great Lent prepares our tent for the storm.
