Praying the Journey to Easter on a Calendar Template

Using a calendar template is a simple, daily, and playful (but serious) practice for praying our way through the forty days of Lent.  Each day, choose a word to ponder or a person to pray for. Write the word or name in the allotted space with a pen and draw or doodle around it. Add color with pencils or markers. Ask God to be with you in this time. Drawing/doodling invites the body into the prayer, gives the eyes and hand something to do, and helps to focus attention on the word or person. The accumulation of words or peoples’ names on the calendar creates an emerging tapestry of your Lenten spiritual journey. This year, Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on March 5 and goes through April 19. Easter is April 20. 

Since the spaces are small, I like to enlarge the template (129%-132%) onto an 11″x17″ piece of card stock. Although Lent is officially 40 days, there are 46 spaces on each template to include the weekends. (Sundays are not part of Lent, but I don’t like to break the rhythm of my daily practice.)

Ways to Use the Calendars

1) Pray for a person each day of Lent. Write their name in the space. Add marks and color. Think of each stroke as a cutting of the tie of your worry and releasing the person into God’s care. Do not force verbal prayers but don’t chase them away if they come.

2) Use a daily book of Lenten meditations. There are so many wonderful books of meditations on the market. Read the meditation for the day and select a word that jumps out at you. Write the word in the space. Meditate on it as you draw/doodle and color around it. Let it enter your heart and mind. Ask God what you need to hear from the word.

Here are several books I have used in past years:
A Way Other Than Our Own by Walter Brueggemann, Westminster John Knox Press, 2017.
Wondrous Encounters:Scripture for Lent by Richard Rohr, Francsican Media, 2011.
Lent for Everyone—Luke Year C by N.T. Wright, Westminster John Knox Press, 2012.
A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers In Lent, Christine Valters Paintner, Broadleaf Books, 2024.

There are dozens of books of Lenten meditations. I would love to hear what books have nourished you. If you have favorites, please write their titles in the Comments section of this post. Thanks.

3) Follow a daily lectionary and choose a word from one of the Scripture readings.

4) Use the vocabulary of Lent from Scripture and tradition–ashes, desert, temptation, denial, repentance, Passion, cross, forgiveness, fasting….

4) Read a Psalm each day and choose a word that gets your attention.

5) Describe the nature and character of Jesus in your calendar using nouns and adjectives: Savior, Redeemer, Healer, radical, obedient, forgiving, Restorer,…

6) Since Lent is a time for reflection and self-examination, scatter your confessions, character defects, and regrets in the spaces. Include your specific worries, fears, and sorrows on the calendar. Your calendar path will take you to the cross and give you a visual way to lay your burdens down. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28  NIV) Ask the Holy Spirit to be present as you reflect on these. This is not meant to be an exercise in self-flagellation or self-pity, but a way to be honest with yourself and draw closer to God and God’s unconditional love. Mix in some dreams, hopes, and thanksgivings.

 7)  So many countries and cities in the world are in distress. Choose a city or country to pray for each day. Imagine you are helping to carry these places to healing and redemption at the cross and beyond to Easter.

Calendar Templates

Below are five calendar templates in pdf format for Lent 2025: a path of shapes, a stained-glass window with a large lily, a spiral, a box/grid format, and a stained glass window with dates and a small lily.. Choose the one (or more) you want to make your prayers visible.

Click on the title below the calendars to download them. They are also available in the Lent section of the Resources Page. Feel free to Share this post and the templates with others. You can also browse through past Lenten calendars on the Resources Page for ideas–some of the older calendars are undated except for the year and could easily be reused.
(NOTE: Some schools do not permit the download of materials from outside websites. If you have trouble downloading from a school address, try using your personal email.) 

                                 (Spiral  Created by Hilary Ann Golden 2015)

Lenten Path
Lily Stained Glass
Spiral
Box Calendar    
Stained Glass with Small Lily and Dates

Here are some samples of finished calendars from previous Lents.

Thanks to Cindy O for her 2021 Calendar