“It is also important to remember in times of fasting, such as Lent, that we’re not just “giving something up,” but we’re “giving something over” and the less we take, the more we can give. Christians always saw this as a time for alms-giving, the practice of giving to the poor and needy. So, when we think of Lent, we think of service and pouring out into the streets so that the world can know the riches of the love of God. As we do all these things, the love of God becomes clearer in our hearts.”
Zachary K. Perkins in “What Christians Get Wrong about Lent” article for Relevant Magazine, posted on 5 March 2014.
Why 40 days? This article reminds readers that the 40 days of Lent mirror the timeframe that Moses spent on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-11). The placement of Lent in the church calendar also serves as a time of community preparation for our celebration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Personally, I like that it’s 40 days long because that’s about how long it takes for something to go from my head to my heart, and the transformation of my heart is what God desires through my fasting, praying, and generosity to the poor (Matthew 6:1-18). Only through such transformation do I become a reflection and conduit of His love to a lost and needy world.