Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, by various. Paperback.I received this book last year for my birthday (maybe Christmas), and started reading it this year as my Lenten devotional. I try to do "seasonal" reading a few times throughout the church year, and have practiced a slightly more ancient-modern version of Lent the last few years.
Unfortunately, I had eye surgery during Lent this year, during which time my wife started reading these to me, as my own eyes were incapable. As I've recovered, we have kept the tradition going of her reading these to me.
The book is designed to go beyond Lent -- there are 72 readings, 26 of which are specifically categorized in the post-Lent categories of "Resurrection" and "New Life." That being said, I confess that this took waaaaay longer to finish up than it should have.
The readings come from a range of Christian traditions, including Methodist, Lutheran, Evangelical, Catholic, and Presbyterian. There are theologians and pastors represented, as well as poets and activists. Most of the writings are from the 1900s, although some older writers (Pascal, Augustine, John Donne, and Thomas a Kempis) are also included.
Of the writers I was less familiar with, I enjoyed most the reading from Walter Ciszek, a Jesuit missionary to Russia and political prisoner. His "Fear Not" essay begins with the compelling opening sentence of "Facing a firing squad is a pretty good test, I guess, of your theology of death."
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